How common is Čerenkov Radiation?

Question

I mean, could I create it using only electricity, heat, and some kind of brass alloy?

Answer 1

Doing some internet research it doesn't look like it's too incredibly uncommon. The Smith-Purcell effect is basically Cerenkov radiation, and it's used all over the place, such as free electron lasers, high power microwave generators, and various spectroscopic instruments. I'm not sure if you could generate it using brass as your medium, as the index of refraction of brass is 1.04 for the blue part of the visible spectrum. Cerenkov radiation is produced whenever the velocity beta c of the particle exceeds c/n, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum, n is the index of refraction of the medium traversed by the charge, and beta is the usual relativistic term given by the expression

beta = {1\over\sqrt{1 - (v/c)^2}} if v is the velocity of the charge

With that index of refraction, 1.04, you'd need to hit 96.2% the speed of light in a vaccuum to produce Cerenkov radiation. That'll be tough to do. Water has an n value of 1.33, meaning you only have to hit 75%. Check my sources for a list of high index solids, bismuth seems to be a good bet. You'd need an electron source, but I assume that's what you're talking about with electricity. Maybe arcing an electric current through bismuth? Hmmmmmmm....how about welding? Do welders have to protect themselves from low level Cerenkov radiation? I'll betcha they do. I'd research it further, but my reactor is almost at equilibrium, so I need to go do some work. Interesting question.

Answer 2

Hmmm.. Cherenkov's Radiation?
Yes I suppose you could accelerate charged particles say electrons and to allow their phase velocity exceed the speed of light in that dielectric medium.

Brass alloy? Hmmm...That I'm not sure.