A simplied trajectory for a radiating charge

moving in a uniform magnetic eld.

Paolo Tritella

paolotritella@libero.it

May 31, 2017

Abstract
It is shown that a radiating charge moving in a constant uniform mag-
netic eld has an approximated trajectory that copies an Euler spiral. Is
made a classical study for the motion with some plausible approximations.

1 Introduction
From rst times are known analytic expressions for classical trajectories of
charged particles, the hyperbolic motion and the circular or helical motion.
There is a third class of trajectories, the motion of a charged particle in a cloud
chamber with constant magnetic eld not yet expressed analytically. In this ar-
ticle a model for this lacking expression is found. It is established a connection
with the radiation reaction force and the result obtained copies well the known
pictures of the phenomenon.

2 Method
Consider an electric charge e moving with constant velocity in the x direction,
entering a region with a uniform magnetic eld B in the z direction. Being the
radiation reaction force (Lechner - Campi elettromagnetici, pag.272)

d~
prad e2
= − w2~v (1)
dt 6π

the newtonian equation of motion is (the speed of light c set to 1)

d~
p ~
= −λw2~v + e~v ∧ B (2)
dt

e2
λ= (3)
6π

1
The magnetic force

~
e~v ∧ B (4)
is always perpendicular to the velocity and cannot change his modulo. Changes
in the modulo of v arise from the component of force tangent to trajectory

d~
pt
= −λw2~v (5)
dt
w2 is the square of the acceleration that is compound of the tangential com-
ponent proportional to λ and the normal component, the Lawrence force. Ne-
glecting the rst (very small for a particle) in comparison to the last,

Fig. 1: The approximation.

we have that the square of acceleration w2 is

evB 2
w2 = a/t + a2n u a2n = ( (6)
2
)
m
and the complete tangential force is

evB 2 eB 2 2 e2
mat = −λ( ) · v = −λ( ) · v · v = − ω2 v3 (7)
m m 6π
then the tangential equation of motion is
dv e2
m = − ω2 v3 (8)
dt 6π
Restoring the constant c, we have
dv e2 ω 2 3
=− v (9)
dt 6πmc3 c2
dening
e2
α= u 0.6 · 10−23 sec. (10)
6πmc3

2
we obtain
dv αω 2
= − 2 v3 (11)
dt c
Placing
αω 2
k=− (12)
c2

dv
= −kv 3 (13)
dt
solving the dierential equation, we have (v0 the initial velocity)
1
− = −kt − A (14)
2v 2

1
v=r (15)
1
2kt + 2
v0
and solving again (choosing the spatial origin at v = ∞)
ds 1
=r (16)
dt 1
2kt +
v0 2

r
1 1
s= 2kt + 2 (17)
k v0
Then
1
v= (18)
ks
but
v
ω= (19)
r
constant, and then the curvature 1/r is proportional to 1/v
1 ω
= = ωks (20)
r v
then the curvature must be proportional to the distance s from the beginning
of curve and the trajectory is a Cornu spiral[8]
1 1
rs = = const. = 2 (21)
ωk 2a
with the parameter a
r r
kω αω 3
a= = (22)
2 2c2

3
The parametric representation of trajectory is
1

x = C(s)

a (23)
x = 1 S(s)

a
where
Z s
C(s) = cos(u2 ) du (24)
0

Z s
S(s) = sin(u2 ) du (25)
0

The polar angle ϑ equals s2 (normalized spiral).

In fact we have
kω 2 1 ω
ωt = s − 2· (26)
2 v0 2k

t s2
kωs2
Z Z  
1 ω
x= vcos(ωt0 + ϕ)dt0 = cos − + ϕ ksds (27)
0 s1 ks 2 2kv02

choosing
ω
ϕ= (28)
2kv02
we have
s2
kωs2
Z  
x= cos ds (29)
s1 2

1
s1 = (30)
kv0

r
1 1
s2 = 2kt + (31)
k v0 2

Z s2 Z as2
1
x= 2 2
cos(a s )ds = cos(s2 )ds (32)
s1 a as1

In the same way

Z as2
1
y= sin(s2 )ds (33)
a as1

and for the length of trajectory crossed

Z s2 q Z s2
r r
2 2
x= 2
dx + dy = 2
ds = (s2 − s1 ) (34)
s1 s1 kω kω

4
As an application nd the time for the velocity to became the half,
v0
v= (35)
2

v0 1
=q (36)
2 2kt + 1
v0 2

follows
3 3c2
t= = (37)
2kv0 2 2αω 2 v0 2

For example suppose that an electron of mass m = 9.1 · 10−28 g is accelerated

by a voltage of 1000 Volt and suddenly the electric eld is extinguished and
a magnetic constant and uniform eld B=103 gauss acts on in a large enough
region around the particle. We have the nal velocity of accelerated particle
r
2e∆V cm
v= = 1.8 · 109 = 0.06c (38)
m sec
The angular velocity is
eB
ω= = 1.7 · 1010 sec−1 (39)
mc
Applying the formula
3c2
t 12 = = 0.24 · 106 sec ∼
= 2.8days (40)
2αω 2 v0 2
The following image shows well the result. A charged particle, coming from
left, at the moment of activation of the magnetic eld, enters in the spiral at a
point (s1 ) after the origin (s=0) with velocity tangent to the spiral itself. The
initial curvature R−1equals the inverse radius of the circle of the magnetic eld
 mv
trajectory R = .
eB

5
Fig. 2: The trajectory of the particle, coming from left.

3 Result
From the calculations performed follows that the classical trajectory of a particle
charged that moves in a uniform magnetic eld is a Cornu Spiral, neglecting
frictional forces and relativistic eects.

4 Discussion
The particle that enters the region of the magnetic eld changes trajectory, as
following a circle. But the curvature increases for the decrease of velocity due to
energy loss by radiation. The only eect of radiation reaction force is more weak
that it is in reality because of the friction force, that accelerates the process and
distorts the trajectory, that in any case adjusts itself to copy in the best possible
way a Cornu spiral, as one can see in well-known images of the process (Fig. 3).
Being null the angular acceleration, the reaction force compensates the Coriolis
force.

6
Fig. 3: A pair production (Taken from Internet).

5 Conclusions
A particle entering with constant velocity in a uniform magnetic eld begin
radiating energy and his trajectory approximates well a Cornu spiral, neglecting
energy loss by friction. The curvature is initially equal to the value impressed by
the Lawrence force and increases indenitely, in a way proportional to the length
of the trajectory crossed. The considerations are classical, not relativistic, but
the approximation appears good enough.
Thanks to Cristina, Grazia, Carina, Pietro, Mary. At disposal for details.
More will follow.

7
References
[1] Jackson, Classical electrodynamics, edited by Wiley, New York, 1975
[2] L. D. Landau - E. M. Lifsits, Teoria dei campi, edited by Editori Riuniti,
1981.
[3] K. Lechner, Campi elettromagnetici, it.scribd.com
[4] Misne Thorn Wheeler, Gravitation, edited by W.H. Freeman and Company,
New York, 1973.
[5] Benn-Tucker, An Introduction to Spinors and Geometry with Application in
Physics, edited by Adam Hilger (IOP Publishing Ltd, 1989).
[6] M. Bramanti, Esercitazioni di Analisi 2, edited by Esculapio, Bologna, 2012.
[7] Richard T. Hammond, Relativistic Particle Motion and Radiation Reaction
in Electrodynamics, EJTP 7, No. 23, 221 (2010).