Doesn't Cherenkov radiation defy conservation of energy?

Bibi Tyron: No, conservation of energy is preserved. The photons are generated due to stress induced in the medium by the high speed charged particle. You can think of the stress as adding energy and momentum to the medium. When the medium releases the energy, it does so in the form of photons. Energy is conserved since the charged particle transfers kinetic energy (and momentum) to the medium, and the medium releases an equivalent amount of energy and momentum via the photons....Show more