ON THE PLASMA CERENKOV RADIATION,
Abstract
A treatment is presented of the excitation of or Cerenkov radiation of longitudinal electric waves by a charge moving through a collisionless electron plasma with a velocity surpassing the electron thermal speed. Emphasis is placed on transient effects and the effects of finite projectile size. Transient effects are significant for a fast charge entering a bounded plasma, for a fast plasma electron whose path contains sharp corners due to close collisions, or for a fast neutron that undergoes beta decay while passing through a plasma. The study of the effect of finite projectile size is of importance in understanding the nature of the singularity of the mach cone that one finds using a point projectile. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0420936
Entities
People
- Ralph Guernsey
- Richard Gerwin
Organizations
- Boeing