Understanding Bremsstrahlung and Cerenkov Emission

In summary, Bremsstrahlung and Cerenkov are two cases of light emission. Bremsstrahlung occurs when charged particles are decelerated, while Cerenkov light is emitted when particles travel faster than the speed of light in a medium. This results in a sonic boom-like effect, where the excited atoms of the medium emit coherent waves of radiation at a fixed angle to the particle's trajectory. The electric and magnetic fields generated by the moving particle are responsible for exciting the atoms and causing this phenomenon.
  • #1
ArmoSkater87
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Bremsstrahlung and Cerenkov

I've been wondering about the different cases of light emittion, and the most unclear to me are Bremsstrahlung and chrenkoff. If u can, please give me details about these two cases. Thank You. :D
 
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  • #2
Cerenkov Light

Cerenkov light is light that is emitted when particles travel faster than the speed of light in a medium. For example, if particles travel through glass at a speed faster than light itself would travel through glass, cerenkov light is emitted. It is analogic to the sonic boom.
 
  • #3
yea, i already knew about that, i was wondering if u knew any details to why this sonic boom of light happens.
 
  • #4
Check out this link: http://dept.physics.upenn.edu/balloon/cerenkov_radiation.html [Broken]

"The electric and magnetic fields associated with a rapidly moving charge excite the atoms of the medium. The excited atoms emit part of their light in the form of a coherent wavefront of radiation at fixed angle with respect to the trajectory of the charged particle"
 
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  • #5
k, thanks, that makes sense :D ...but why would the magnetic/electric field caused by the moving particle excite the atoms of the medium. I had a though but I am not sure, maybe the charge makes the electrons in the atom repell and go to an outer energy level, but not I am sure, any help would be great. :)
 

What is Bremsstrahlung?

Bremsstrahlung is a type of radiation that is produced when a charged particle, such as an electron, is decelerated or accelerated by an electric field. This radiation is often referred to as "braking radiation" because it is produced when the particle's motion is slowed down.

What is cherenkov radiation?

Cherenkov radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted when a charged particle moves through a medium at a speed greater than the speed of light in that medium. It is often described as a faint blue light and is commonly observed in nuclear reactors and particle accelerators.

What causes Bremsstrahlung and cherenkov radiation?

Bremsstrahlung is caused by the deceleration or acceleration of charged particles, while cherenkov radiation is caused by the motion of charged particles through a medium at speeds greater than the speed of light in that medium. In both cases, the emission of radiation is due to the interaction between the charged particle and the surrounding particles or atoms in the medium.

What are the applications of Bremsstrahlung and cherenkov radiation?

Bremsstrahlung and cherenkov radiation have a variety of applications in fields such as medical imaging, nuclear physics, and particle physics. Bremsstrahlung is commonly used in X-ray machines for medical imaging, while cherenkov radiation is used in detectors to study the properties of high-energy particles and in radiation therapy for cancer treatment.

Are Bremsstrahlung and cherenkov radiation dangerous?

The amount of radiation emitted through Bremsstrahlung and cherenkov radiation is generally very low and is not considered dangerous. However, in high-energy particle accelerators, these types of radiation can be harmful if not properly shielded. As with any type of radiation, proper safety measures should always be taken when working with Bremsstrahlung and cherenkov radiation.

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