Radiation from a Moving Magneton

Abstract

The rate of radiation of energy from a ring of electrons revolving in a circular orbit and from various other distributions of moving electric charges and magnetic poles has been calculated by G. A. Schott, [1] who finds that the rate of radiation of energy is almost invariably positive. This is certainly true in the case of a single electric pole describing a circular orbit as is indicated by the well known formulae of Larmor and Liénard for the rate of radiation. Thus electromagnetic theory in its present form lends no suport to Bohr's idea of non-radiating orbits. A steady distribution, such as a Parson magneton which consists of a complete ring of electric charges following one another round the ring at a constant speed will evidently give no radiation when the ring is stationary as a whole, but as Schott remarks the ring may be expected to radiate energy when its centre has an acceleration. Schott's results are so important that it is desirable that they should be confirmed by an independent method and an attempt has been made to devise a method by which the rate of radiation from a moving electric pole and magnetic doublet may be readily calculated. In two important cases we have confirmed Schott's surmise that the rate of radiation is positive.