Xref: utzoo sci.misc:821 sci.physics:2858
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From: tan@ihlpg.ATT.COM (Bill Tanenbaum)
Newsgroups: sci.misc,sci.physics
Subject: Re: differences between sound and light waves?
Keywords: macroscopic behaviour
Message-ID: <4809@ihlpg.ATT.COM>
Date: 12 Feb 88 06:11:57 GMT
References: <413@prlb2.UUCP> <4110@aw.sei.cmu.edu> <6917@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
Lines: 11

< A stick breaking under foot generates a (sonic) shock wave (chaotic behavior
< due to parts of the stick moving faster than the speed of sound ?) -- I
< don't think there is analogous light behaviour in the everyday world
< (aurora borealis?).
------
There is analogous light behavior.  It's called Cherenkov radiation.
It occurs when particles travel through a transparent medium faster
than the speed of light in that medium.  It occurs in the everyday
world, but not so as you'd notice.
-- 
Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL  ihnp4!ihlpg!tan