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[Phys-L] light, doppler effect, particles



A student asked me a question I need some help with.

Suppose you have a source of light that is just below the threshold
frequency for a given metal surface. You get no photocurrent.

Now suppose the source is approaching at some speed great enough so that
the Doppler effect shifts the frequency to a value above the threshold.
Now you do get photocurrent, yes?

Suppose an observer riding with the source uses a beam splitter so that
half the light approaches you and gets Doppler shifted to give you that
photo current but the other half goes to the ride-along observer. He does
not get a photo current...right?

I'm not even sure what my question is. Can anyone point me to a
photon-based treatment of the doppler effect?

Thanks,
Phil