Statistical signal processing

Cyclotron resonance describes the interaction of external forces with charged particles experiencing a magnetic field, thus already moving on a circular path. It is named after the cyclotron, a cyclic particle accelerator using this resonance to add kinetic energy to charged particles.

The cyclotron frequency or gyrofrequency is the frequency of a charged particle moving perpendicular to the direction of a uniform magnetic field B (constant magnitude and direction). Since that motion is always circular, the cyclotron frequency is given by equality of centripetal force and magnetic Lorentz force

$\frac{m{v}^2}{r}=qBv$

with the particle mass m, its charge q, velocity v, and the circular path radius r, also called gyroradius.

By substitution for the circulation frequency $f=\frac{v}{2\pi r}$ which defines the cyclotron frequency, this leads to

$f=\frac{qB}{2\pi m}$.

See also

• Gyroradius
• Cyclotron
• Ion cyclotron resonance
• Electron cyclotron resonance
• Calculate Cyclotron frequency with Wolfram Alpha