Radiation reaction in electrodynamics and the elimination of runaway solutions
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-29-1991
Abstract
The familiar Abraham-Lorentz theory of radiation reaction in classical non-relativistic electrodynamics exhibits many problems such as "runaway solutions" and violation of causality. As shown by many authors, such problems can be alleviated by dropping the assumption of a point electron. We also drop this assumption (by introducing a form-factor with a large cutoff frequency Ω) but we present a new approach based on the use of the generalized quantum Langevin equation. For an electric dipole interaction, an exact treatment is possible and we obtain a new equation of motion which, in spite of being third order, does not lead to runaway solutions or solutions which violate causality (the sole proviso being that Ω cannot exceed an upper limit of 3Mc3 2e2=1.60×1023 s-1). Furthermore, Ω appears in the third-derivative term but we show that, to a very good approximation, this term may be dropped so that we end up with a simple second-order equation which does not contain Ω and whose solutions are well-behaved. © 1991.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Physics Letters A
First Page
217
Last Page
220
Recommended Citation
Ford, G., & O'Connell, R. (1991). Radiation reaction in electrodynamics and the elimination of runaway solutions. Physics Letters A, 157 (4-5), 217-220. https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-9601(91)90054-C