A new approach to the theory of Cherenkov radiation based on relativistic generalization of the Landau criterion

Relativistic generalization of the Landau criterion is obtained which, in contrast to the classical Tamm-Frank and Ginzburg theories, determines the primary energy mechanism of emission of nonbremsstrahlung Cherenkov radiation. It is shown that Cherenkov radiation may correspond to a threshold energetically favorable conversion of the condensate (ultimately long-wavelength) elementary Bose perturbations of a medium into transverse Cherenkov photons emitted by the medium proper during its interaction with a sufficiently fast charged particle. The threshold conditions of emission are determined for a medium with an arbitrary refractive index n, including the case of isotropic plasma with n<1 for which the classical theory of Cherenkov radiation prohibits such direct and effective nonbremsstrahlung emission of these particular transverse high-frequency electromagnetic waves. It is established that these conditions of emission agree with the data of well-known experiments on the threshold for observation of Cherenkov radiation, whereas the classical theory only corresponds to the conditions of observation of the interference maximum of this radiation. The possibility of direct effective emission of nonbremsstrahlung Cherenkov radiation, not taken into account in the classical theory, is considered for many observed astrophysical phenomena (type III solar radio bursts, particle acceleration by radiation, etc.).     

On the possibility of forming electric-field-controlled fluxes of cold neutrons in crystals

It has been shown previously that the giant electron energy loss in cold cathodes is due to the localization of electrons in polaron states and their emission of a coherent flux of phonons (which is similar to the Cherenkov radiation) during motion in strong electric fields. The scattering of cold neutrons from a coherent-phonon flux is investigated.     

Cherenkov Radiation Emission in uniaxial optical materials

We report a theoretical study of the Cherenkov radiation emission in uniaxial optical materials. The formalism is based on the previous work of Muzicar (1961) whose results in terms of energetic properties of the emitted waves are corrected. This formalism is used to predict the Cherenkov radiation emission in a strongly birefringent sodium nitrate crystal (NaNO₃). Received: 24 October 1997 / Accepted: 10 December 1997     

Time-gated Cherenkov emission spectroscopy from linear accelerator irradiation of tissue phantoms

Radiation from a linear accelerator induces Cherenkov emission in tissue, which has recently been shown to produce biochemical spectral signatures that can be interpreted to estimate tissue hemoglobin and oxygen saturation or molecular fluorescence from reporters. The Cherenkov optical light levels are in the range of 10(-6) to 10(-9) W/cm2, which limits the practical utility of the signal in routine radiation therapy monitoring. However, due to the fact that the radiation is pulsed, gated-acquisition of the signal allows detection in the presence of ambient lighting, as is demonstrated here. This observation has the potential to significantly increase the value of Cherenkov emission spectroscopy during radiation therapy to monitor tissue molecular events.     

Slow group velocity and Cherenkov radiation

We study theoretically the effect of ultraslow group velocities on the emission of Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation in a coherently driven medium. We show that in this case the aperture of the group cone on which the intensity of the radiation peaks is much smaller than that of the usual wave cone associated with the Cherenkov coherence condition. As a specific example, we consider a coherently driven ultracold atomic gas where such singular behavior may be observed.     

Interaction of a modulated electron beam with a magnetoactive plasma

Experimental results concerning the interaction of a modulated electron beam with a magnetoactive plasma in the whistler frequency range are reported. It was shown experimentally that when a beam is injected into the plasma, waves can be generated by two possible mechanisms: Cherenkov emission of whistlers by the modulated beam, and transition radiation from the beam injection point. In the case of weak beam currents (N _b/N ₀)≪⁻⁴) the Cherenkov resonance radiation is more than an order of magnitude stronger than the transition radiation; the Cherenkov emission efficiency decreases at high beam currents. The transformation of the distribution function of the beam is investigated for the case of weak beam currents. It is shown that in the case of the Cherenkov interaction with whistlers the beam is retarded and the beam distribution function becomes wider and acquires a plateau region. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 6, 378–382 (25 March 1998)     

Unified Analysis for Calculating the Incoherent Spontaneous Emission of Cooperative Radiations

A unified analysis is presented to calculate the incoherent spontaneous power of cooperative radiations based on self-amplified spontaneous emission. Using quantum mechanical tools, we derive analytical expressions for the incoherent spontaneous power of undulator and Cherenkov free-electron lasers(FELs). The undulator and Cherenkov FELs are considered as two different examples for the radiation that accumulate cooperatively. In the case of the undulator FEL, we show an excellent agreement between an expression for the incoherent radiation power derived in the present work and that obtained using a completely different approach [Phys. Rev. E65(2002) 026501] For the Cherenkov radiation,we demonstrate a satisfactory agreement between the incoierent power predicted in our analysis and previous experimental results.     

Nobel Prizes in the “light” of Vavilov–Cherenkov radiation. To the 125th anniversary of the birth of S.I. Vavilov

The objective of this paper is not a detailed review or an analysis of the studies in the field of high-energy physics initiated by the discovery of Vavilov–Cherenkov radiation, occurred more than 80 years ago at the Lebedev Physical Institute, and awarded Nobel Prizes. The paper is written to emphasize the historical significance of the discovery of the effect and its key role in further studies in high-energy physics, commended by the high award of the Nobel committee. In 1958, 24 years after the first publication about the new phenomenon, i.e., emission of electrons moving in matter with the superlight speed, discovered by P.A. Cherenkov under the supervision by S.I. Vavilov, the Nobel Prize was awarded to a group of scientists of the Lebedev Physical Institute, P.A. Cherenkov, I.M. Frank, and I.E. Tamm “for the discovery and explanation of the Cherenkov effect”. Since then, practical application of Vavilov–Cherenkov radiation is widely spread.     

X-ray diffraction radiation in conditions of Cherenkov effect

X-ray diffraction radiation from ultra-relativistic electrons moving near an absorbing target is considered. The emission yield is found to increase significantly in conditions of Cherenkov effect.     

Stimulated Cherenkov emission in gas dynamics

A linear theory is developed for stimulated Cherenkov emission from planar and cylindrical gas flows in gaseous environments. An analogy is demonstrated between Cherenkov emission in gas dynamics and stimulated Cherenkov electromagnetic emission from a charged particle beam in a medium.     

Variation in linear susceptibility tensor at crystal surface probed by linear Cherenkov radiation

At the surfaces of crystals, linear susceptibility tensors would differ from their counterparts in the interior of the bulk crystal. However, this phenomenon has not been shown in a visible way yet. In previous researches, numerous types of nonlinear Cherenkov radiation based on different materials have been studied, while linear Cherenkov radiation is barely reported. We experimentally prove the generation of linear Cherenkov radiation on the potassium dihydrogen phosphate(KDP) crystal surface and theoretically analyze its phase-matching scheme. In our study, o-polarized light and e-polarized light can mutually convert through the linear Cherenkov process. According to this result, we figure out new nonzero elements at off-diagonal positions in the linear susceptibility tensor matrix at crystal surfaces, compared with the normal form of a bulk KDP.     

“Inversionless” stimulated emission of radiation by nonequilibrium ensembles of classical oscillators

We find classical analogs of quantum systems capable of stimulated emission of radiation in the absence of inversion. We show that cyclotron parametric instability in low-frequency modulation of the distribution function of resonant particles can amplify a bichromatic high-frequency field when amplification of each spectral component separately is impossible. We point to similar modes for a Cherenkov resonance and a model system with lumped parameters. Finally, we suggest using this effect for converting microwave radiation to a higher frequency. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 1176–1196 (October 1997)     

On the feasibility of using X-ray faster-than-light spots to check the isotropy of the speed of light

An experimental method for checking the isotropy of the speed of light is proposed. It is based on excitation of Cherenkov radiation by a virtual electric charge moving with a faster-than-light velocity.     

Cherenkov radiation of a spinning particle

We consider the Cherenkov radiation of a neutral particle with magnetic moment, and the spin-dependent contribution to the Cherenkov radiation of a charged spinning particle. The corresponding radiation intensity is obtained for an arbitrary value of spin and for an arbitrary spin orientation with respect to velocity. The article is published in the original.     

Features of transition and Cherenkov radiations and the correlation between them

It is shown that transition radiation arising at the boundary of two media is being emitted as a Cherenkov one, if the phase velocity of transition radiation waves in the medium of transition radiation propagation becomes equal to the velocity of the moving radiating particle (the necessary condition for the Cherenkov radiation). The proof of this statement is based on the analysis of the transition radiation formation zone, which may become large enough and provide interference between the field of transition radiation and the own Coulomb field of the moving particle, in case when the Cherenkov radiation condition is fulfilled. As a result, the transition radiation field transforms into the Cherenkov field. The problem is considered for cases of both a waveguide and free space.     

Electromagnetic collapse. Problems of stability,emission of radiation and evolution of a dense pinch

Stability, emission of radiation, and some problems of evolution for pinch systems are considered on the basis of the theory of equilibrium of a plasma with a high current. The analysis of small oscillations in the approximation of two-fluid hydrodynamics of ideal charged liquids shows that the most dangerous instability is the one resulting in the filamentation of a diffuse equilibrium state of the current into separate jets. The criterion of stability for a pinch systems is established. According to this criterion the plasma compressed up to the electron degeneration is stable. The theory of emission of radiation by pinch systems shows a very important role of stimulated synchrotron radiation in the process of evolution of a high-current channel. The experimental properties of high-current pinches find a natural explanation in the theory. Aside from evident practical applications, the electromagnetic selfcompression of plasma in high-current devices provides the unique possibility to create and investigate ultradense matter, huge electric and magnetic fields, and ultrahigh pressures in the Earth laboratory experiments.     

Pair Events in Superluminal Optics

When an object moves faster than emissions it creates, it may appear at two positions simultaneously. The appearance or disappearance of this bifurcation is referred to as a pair event. Inherently convolved with superluminal motion, pair events have no subluminal counterparts. Common examples of superluminal motions that exhibit pair events include Cherenkov radiation, sonic booms, illumination fronts from variable light sources, and rotating beams. The minimally simple case of pair events from a single massive object is explored here: uniform linear motion. A pair event is perceived when the radial component of the object's speed toward the observer drops from superluminal to subluminal. Emission from the pair creation event will reach the observer before emission from either of the two images created. Potentially observable image pair events are described for sonic booms and Cherenkov light. To date, no detection of discrete images following a projectile pair event have ever been reported, and so the pair event nature of sonic booms and Cherenkov radiation, for example, remains unconfirmed. Recent advances in modern technology have made such pair event tracking feasible. If measured, pair events could provide important information about object distance and history.     

Cherenkov radiation from an Abrikosov-Josephson vortex

The Cherenkov radiation of generalized Swihart waves is investigated in connection with the slow motion of an Abrikosov-Josephson vortex, which corresponds to a 2 π kink in the phase difference of Cooper pairs on opposite sides of a tunnel junction. The radiative friction force acting on such a vortex is determined. An evaluation is made of the steady-state vortex velocity when the accelerating influence of an electric current through the Josephson junction is compensated by radiative slowing of the vortex due to Cherenkov radiation from the Abrikosov-Josephson vortex. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 444–448 (March 1997)     

Energy Losses of a Charged Particle due to Excitation of Helicons in Plasma-Like Media

We study the energy lost by a particle moving along the helical line in a static magnetic field due to Vavilov–Cherenkov radiation of volume and surface helicons. It is found that the energy losses related to excitation of volume helicons are equivalent to the energy losses of a magnetic moment created due to the charge rotation. The magnetic moment moves at a constant velocity along the magnetic field. It is shown that collisionless damping of volume helicons in plasmas is based on the Cherenkov radiation of magnetic moment. Radiation of surface helicons by a particle does not correspond to the energy losses of a moving magnetic moment. This is related to the fact that not only magnetic (H) waves but also electric (E) waves contribute to the excitation of surface helicons, which leads to an increase in the energy losses of a particle.     

Diffraction radiation from a finite-conductivity screen

An exact solution has been found for the problem of diffraction radiation appearing when a charged particle moves perpendicularly to a thin finite screen having arbitrary conductivity and frequency dispersion. Expressions describing the diffraction and Cherenkov emission mechanisms have been obtained for the spectralangular forward and backward radiation densities.