Issues

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1972

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February

  

Reviews of topical problems


The Vavilov-Cerenkov Effect and the Doppler Effect in the Motion of Sources with Superluminal Velocity in Vacuum

It is customary to consider only ``subluminal'' light sources, or sources moving with a velocity $v$ lower than the velocity of light in vacuum $(c)$. It is assumed in this connection that the Vavilov--Cerenkov effect and the anomalous Doppler effect are possible only in media and waves for which the refractive index $n(\omega)>1$. For this reason, the phase velocity of the waves is $c_{ph}=[c/n(\omega)]c_{ph}$. Yet, as is well known, there exist also ``superluminal'' sources, with velocity $v>c$. Examples are light spots produced on a remote screen by a rotating source of light or particles. The spot velocity is $v=\Omega R$, where $\Omega$ is the angular velocity of source rotation and $R$ is the distance to the screen. The condition $v>c$ can be realized on the Earth, and is practically always realized under astronomical conditions for pulsar radiation. It is emphasized in the article that superluminal sources are equivalent in a wide range to subluminal ones, and, concretely, can generate Cerenkov radiation in vacuum and in a medium with $n(\omega)

PACS: 97.60.Gb, 97.10.Ri, 41.60.Bq (all)
DOI: 10.1070/PU1972v015n02ABEH004962
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1972/2/d/
Citation: Bolotovskii B M, Ginzburg V L "The Vavilov-Cerenkov Effect and the Doppler Effect in the Motion of Sources with Superluminal Velocity in Vacuum" Sov. Phys. Usp. 15 184–192 (1972)
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Оригинал: Болотовский Б М, Гинзбург В Л «Эффект Вавилова — Черенкова и эффект Допплера при движении источников со скоростью больше скорости света в вакууме» УФН 106 577–592 (1972); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0106.197204a.0577

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