Larmor Radiation Pattern

What you are seeing: an electron oscillating along the vertical axis radiates with the classic $\sin^2\theta$ "donut" pattern: nothing along the acceleration axis, maximum perpendicular to it. The total power $P_{tot} = q^2 a^2 / (6\pi\varepsilon_0 c^3)$ .

Figure 1. Time-averaged radiation pattern of an oscillating charge.

amplitude (rel)1.0

frequency (Hz)1e3

view

WHAT TO TRY

Watch the sin-squared theta donut: an electron oscillating along the axis radiates nothing straight up the axis and most strongly broadside. Switch the view to see the polar lobe or the full 3D toroid.
Raise the oscillation frequency: the total radiated power climbs steeply (Larmor power scales as acceleration squared), and the readout P_tot follows. Faster wiggling radiates far more.
Switch to the wavefronts view: the charge launches outgoing spherical shells whose strength is modulated by the angular pattern, brightest around the equator of the donut.