Vacuum friction in rotating particles
Quantum Physics
2015-05-20 v1
Abstract
We study the frictional torque acting on particles rotating in empty space. At zero temperature, vacuum friction transforms mechanical energy into light emission and produces particle heating. However, particle cooling relative to the environment occurs at finite temperatures and low rotation velocities. Radiation emission is boosted and its spectrum significantly departed from a hot-body emission profile as the velocity increases. Stopping times ranging from hours to billions of years are predicted for materials, particle sizes, and temperatures accessible to experiment. Implications for the behavior of cosmic dust are discussed.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1009.4107,
title = {Vacuum friction in rotating particles},
author = {A. Manjavacas and F. J. García de Abajo},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1009.4107},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
4 figures, 10 pages, includes paper and supplementary information in the appendix