Radiative friction for charges interacting with the radiation field: Classical many-particle systems

Abstract

We consider an ensemble of classical particles modelled by means of a continuity equation for a distribution function which is coupled back to the self-induced fields. For such infinite dimensional systems simpler effective equations are derived in the limit c → ∞. A main emphasis is on higher order approximations, in particular on the first post-Newtonian order where radiation starts to play a role. © 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.