4/3 problem in classical electrodynamics.

Abstract

We evaluate the self-force acting on an extended nonrelativistic charged particle, in the framework of classical electrodynamics with a cutoff at short distances. We show that in the regularized Maxwell theory, the point particle limit is finite and well defined. As a result, the electromagnetic mass of a point particle enters the equation of motion in a form consistent with the special theory of relativity. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.