VAVILOV-CERENKOV RADIATION IN A FINITE REGION OF SPACE

Exact expressions are found for the electromagnetic field arising from the instant acceleration of a charged particle, its subsequent motion with the velocity exceeding the light velocity in the medium and the instant transition into the state of rest. It turns out that these exp ressions have definite advantages over the usual ones grounded on the use of the Fourier transform. In particular, they clearly show when an d where the Cerenkov radiation should be observed in order to discrimi nate it from the bremsstrahlung.