Cherenkov mass inference 2026-10-20
The cone relation determines speed. Together with a measured kinetic energy , the rest mass is . The inference requires the radiation to be identified as Cherenkov radiation, and the frequency-dependent phase refractive index must be known.
Interpreting the cone as Cherenkov radiation, its angle gives the speed, not directly the mass:Combining this with the relativistic kinetic energy gives the Cherenkov mass inferenceThe material must be transparent at the observed frequency, is its phase refractive index there, and . For this requires for a massive particle above threshold. Radiation of an unspecified other origin would not determine the mass from these data alone.