Definition
Igor Tamm was a Soviet physicist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1958. He shared the prize for his explanation of the Cherenkov effect. The Cherenkov effect is the emission of light when a charged particle travels through a dielectric medium faster than the speed of light in that medium. Think of it as a visual 'sonic boom' for light. His work had significant implications for understanding high-energy particles. He also contributed to the development of the Soviet hydrogen bomb.