As far as I know, Cherenkov radiation occurs when a charged particle travels through a medium at a greater phase velocity than the speed of light in that medium. Molecules in that medium are polarized and after de-excitation emit radiation.
But there are a couple of things about Cherenkov radiation that I don't understand:
Looking forward to your responses and clarifications.
[This is my first post on PF, so if this thread is posted in the wrong section of the website, please inform me. Thank you.]
But there are a couple of things about Cherenkov radiation that I don't understand:
- Will the charged particle continue to polarize molecules until it loses energy and its speed falls below the speed of light in the medium?
- If the charged particle is an electron, why isn't it simply captured by a molecule/atom? Why does it polarize molecules instead?
Looking forward to your responses and clarifications.
[This is my first post on PF, so if this thread is posted in the wrong section of the website, please inform me. Thank you.]