Astrophysics (Index)About

cyclotron radiation

(radiation emitted when charged particles are accelerated)

Cyclotron radiation is a type of radiation that is emitted by a charged particle if accelerated and at less than relativistic speed. Such acceleration is generally in magnetic fields, in which such particles can travel in spiraling orbits (reminiscent of a coil spring), a phenomenon which can occur in magnetic fields in space. Cyclotron radiation characteristics:

The period of the particle's orbit is inversely proportional to the magnetic field strength, making such radiation a means detecting characteristics of magnetic fields. The name cyclotron radiation stems from its appearance in a type of particle accelerator termed a cyclotron.

The orbits of electrons within atoms fail to produce such radiation, one of the oddities that led to the development of quantum theory.

Analogous radiation from near-light-speed charged particles is called synchrotron radiation.


(physics,EMR,magnetism)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclotron_radiation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclotron
https://casa.colorado.edu/~wcash/APS3730/chapter5.pdf
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/cyclot.html

Referenced by pages:
cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy (CRES)
electron scattering
plasma wave
Project 8
synchrotron radiation

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