Do photons emitted by charged particles in a uniform loop get canceled out?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the emission of electromagnetic radiation by charged particles moving in a circular path, particularly focusing on whether the emitted photons from multiple charged particles in a uniform loop cancel each other out. The conversation explores both classical and quantum perspectives on this phenomenon.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that as the number of charged particles in circular motion increases, the system becomes a uniform loop of current that does not emit electromagnetic radiation due to its time-independent electromagnetic field.
  • Another participant questions whether the radiation emitted by individual clumps of charged particles in the loop cancels out, proposing that the superposition principle might apply.
  • A later reply emphasizes the need to understand the situation in classical physics terms before delving into the complexities of photons.
  • One participant provides mathematical expressions for current density and charge density, indicating that for a homogeneous line of charge in a circle, the current density is time-independent, leading to electrostatic solutions.
  • Another participant notes that if the loop is accelerated, the current density becomes time-dependent, which would lead to radiation emission.
  • One participant corrects their earlier claim regarding the charge density and discusses the integration of charge density to find the total charge, questioning the correctness of their calculations.
  • Another participant acknowledges the need for corrections in their previous posts, clarifying the use of cylindrical coordinates in the calculations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether the emitted radiation from the charged particles cancels out. While some argue for cancellation based on superposition, others emphasize the conditions under which radiation is emitted, leading to an unresolved discussion.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations regarding the assumptions made about the uniformity of the current and the conditions under which radiation is emitted. The discussion also highlights the dependence on the definitions of charge density and the coordinate systems used in calculations.

Pushoam
Messages
961
Reaction score
53
A clump of charged particles moving in circular motion emits em radiation.
But if I go on increasing no. of charged particles till the time the system becomes current in circular path, then since each particle is having same acceleration and velocity, the current will be uniform. So, now the system becomes uniform loop of current.

Now the electromagnetic field created by uniform loop of current doesn't change w.r.t. time, so this system won't emit em radiation.

But,

if I consider loop of current system as ,say, 5 clumps of charged particles, then each clump emits em radiation.
Since the net radiation is zero, does it mean that radiation created by clumps get canceled among themselves?
Each charged particle in the loop emits em radiation.
Radiation emitted by one particle gets canceled by radiation emitted by another particles using superposition principle. Is this correct?

But,
how to understand this thing in photon picture?
Each charged particle emits em radiation.⇒ Each charged particle emits photons.
Photons emitted by one particle doesn't get canceled by photons emitted by another particles .
Since the net radiation is zero, total no. of photons is also 0.
How to understand this?
 
Science news on Phys.org
Better get first an understanding in terms of classical physics. Photons are a complicated subject and unnecessary to understand what's going on here.

It's in fact quite simple. If you have a single point particle running in a circle, the current density obviously is
$$\rho(t,\vec{x})=Q \delta^{(3)}[\vec{x}-\vec{y}(t)],$$
where
$$\vec{y}=R \cos \omega t \vec{e}_x + R \sin \omega t \vec{e}_y$$
is the trajectory on a circle. The current density is
$$\vec{j}(t,\vec{x})=Q \dot{\vec{y}}(t) \delta^{(3)}[\vec{x}-\vec{y}(t)].$$
Obviously, it's time dependent and you get a radiation field via the retarded Lienard-Wiechert solutions.

For a homogeneous line of charge running in a circle you have [CORRECTED!]
$$\rho(t,\vec{x})=\lambda \delta(\rho-R) \delta(z),$$
where ##\lambda## is the charge per unit length and
$$\vec{j}(t,\vec{x})=\vec{v} \rho(t,\vec{x})=R \omega \lambda \vec{e}_{\varphi} \delta(\rho-R) \delta(z),$$
where ##(\rho,\varphi,z)## are the usual cylinder coordinates. Here ##\rho## and ##\vec{j}## are time-independent, so that the retarded Lienard-Wiechert solutions lead to the usual electro- and magnetostatic solutions.
 
Last edited:
vanhees71 said:
Here ρ\rho and ⃗j\vec{j} are time-independent
The loop could be accelerated ,too. So, ω will depend on time and so is current density.
 
According to #1 the OP considers the case of a stationary current in the limit of the continuous charge distribution. So I assumed a stationary current for this case in my argument. Of course, if the current is time-dependent, you get a radiation field again.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Pushoam
vanhees71 said:
For a homogeneous line of charge running in a circle you have
ρ(t,⃗x)=##\frac λ Rδ(ρ−R),##​

Integrating ρ(t,⃗ x) to get total charge,
##\int_V \frac λ R \delta (r-R) r^2 sinθ dr dθ dΦ =
\int_{r=0}^ \inf \frac λ R \delta(r-R)r^2 dr \int_{θ=0}^{π}sinθ dθ\int_{Φ=0}^{2π} dΦ = 4πλ R
## instead of 2πλ R
Is this correct?
 
First I have to correct myself (also corrected it in my original posting #2). The correct charge density is, of course,
$$\rho=\lambda \delta(\rho-R) \delta(z).$$
Further, we work in cylinder not spherical coordinates, i.e., we have
$$\mathrm{d}^3 \vec{x}=\mathrm{d} \rho \mathrm{d} \varphi \mathrm{d} z \rho$$
and thus
$$Q=\int_0^{\infty} \mathrm{d} \rho \int_0^{2 \pi} \mathrm{d} \varphi \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \mathrm{d} z \rho \lambda \delta(\rho-R) \delta(z)=2 \pi R \lambda,$$
as it must be, because ##2 \pi R## is the length of the circle and thus ##\lambda=Q/(2 \pi R)##.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Pushoam

Similar threads

  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
19K
  • · Replies 152 ·
6
Replies
152
Views
11K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
7K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
3K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K