The electromagnetic self-force on a charged spherical body slowly undergoing a small, temporary displacement from a position of rest

The self-force of classical electrodynamics on a charged “rigid” body of radius R is evaluated analytically for the body undergoing a slow (i.e., with a speed v<<c), slight (i.e., small compared to R), and temporary displacement from an initial position of rest. The results are relevant to the Bohr-Rosenfeld analysis of the measurability of the electromagnetic field, which has been the subject of a recent controversy.