arXiv · gr-qc/0012024
Bursts of Radiation and Recoil Effects in Electromagnetism and Gravitation
Abstract
The Maxwell field of a charge e which experiences an impulsive acceleration or deceleration is constructed explicitly by subdividing Minkowskian space-time into two halves bounded by a future null-cone and then glueing the halves back together with appropriate matching conditions. The resulting retarded radiation can be viewed as instantaneous electromagnetic bremsstrahlung. If we similarly consider a spherically symmetric, moving gravitating mass, to experience an impulsive deceleration, as viewed by a distant observer, then this is accompanied by the emission of a light-like shell whose total energy measured by this observer is the same as the kinetic energy of the source before it stops. This phenomenon is a recoil effect which may be thought of as a limiting case of a Kinnersley rocket.
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C. Barrabès, P. A. Hogan. 2000-12-06. Bursts of Radiation and Recoil Effects in Electromagnetism and Gravitation. https://doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381%2F17%2F22%2F308
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