Relativistic Optics & Nuclear Physics

Cherenkov Radiation

Simulate Pavel Cherenkov's 1934 Nobel discovery: A charged relativistic particle moving through a dielectric medium at velocity $v > c/n$ exceeds the phase velocity of light, emitting a characteristic blue electromagnetic shockwave cone $\cos\theta_C = \frac{1}{\beta n}$.

Velocity Ratio β = v/c 0.90 c

Cherenkov Angle θ_C 33.3°

Radiation Status EMITTING (v > c/n)

Medium & Velocity Setup

Medium Refractive Index n

Particle Speed β = v/c 0.90

Visual Overlay

Show Spherical Wave Wavefronts

Show Shockwave Cone Envelope

Show Electron & Cone Badges

Controls

Cherenkov Radiation & Frank-Tamm Equations

Phase Velocity of Light in Medium: v_ph = c / n
Cherenkov Emission Threshold: v > c / n ⇒ β · n > 1
Shockwave Cone Angle: cos θ_C = 1 / (β · n) = (c / n) / v

Developer Reference

Core Algorithm & Standalone Script

// Relativistic Cherenkov optical shockwave engine
const canvas = document.getElementById('canvas');
const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
// cos(theta_C) = 1 / (beta * n)