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This is a follow up question from: Massless charged particles Since by definitio

ID: 2285408 • Letter: T

Question

This is a follow up question from: Massless charged particles

Since by definition such a particle would interact with photons- resulting in some change in momentum- would the particle emit Bremsstrahlung during this interaction? If it does, it seems that there is a problem as the particle cannot decelerate, yet the Bremsstrahlung would necessarily carry away some of the energy. Or perhaps the fact the particle is massless precludes such emissions. Is this a real problem? What would the physical effects of Bremsstrahlung radiation be for this particle?

Note: for some reference- this question came out of a discussion in the comments after my answer to Massless charged particles

Explanation / Answer

From an experimental point of view, we know one mass less particle, the photon.

We cannot describe the photon relativistically by E=mc^2. Its energy is E=h*nu, When it interacts and loses energy, it is the frequency that changes.

Thus I would expect, if a massless charged particle could exist on shell, a corresponding energy definition would give it a change in its wave "frequency".

It is simpler to say that it would loose energy and go from E1 to E2 where E1-E2 would be the brehmstrahlung energy. That is the way interactions of neutrinos were treated when they were thought to be massless.

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