Cherenkov radiation

American  

Or Cerenkov radiation

noun

Physics.

1. radiation produced by a particle passing through a medium at a speed greater than that of light through the medium.

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Cherenkov radiation British  

/ tʃɪˈrɛŋkɒf /

noun

1. the electromagnetic radiation produced when a charged particle moves through a medium at a greater velocity than the velocity of light in that medium

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Etymology

Origin of Cherenkov radiation

First recorded in 1935–40; named after P. A. Cherenkov

Example Sentences

In this translucent medium, the sensors pick up tiny flashes of so-called Cherenkov radiation that forms when a vanishingly rare neutrino hits the ice and creates a shower of secondary particles.

From Scientific American • Jun. 29, 2023

These faster-than-light events manifest as bright flashes of blue light called Cherenkov radiation.

From Scientific American • Dec. 20, 2022

Cherenkov radiation in the Maria reactor named after Marie Curie, in Poland, June 2010 Photo by A. Rumińska/Wikimedia Commons But here's the really crazy part.

From Slate • Jan. 30, 2013

But if neutrinos are going faster than light, he quickly realized, they would be accompanied by a whole host of other effects, like a shower of particles called Cherenkov radiation, which were not being seen.

From New York Times • Mar. 26, 2012

When a proton, electron or other charged particle enters it at a speed that is greater than the speed of light in the material, Cherenkov radiation is given off.

From Time Magazine Archive