Electromagnetic Power Emitted by an Accelerating Point Charge

Abstract

We derive the rate of emission of electromagnetic energy by an accelerating point charge, with the acceleration and velocity in the result being taken at the present time in the motion of the accelerating charge. This contrasts with the usual textbook derivation, which calculates the energy radiated through the surface of a large sphere, and gives the rate of radiated energy in terms of the acceleration and velocity at an arbitrary retarded time.