Radiative transfer for polarized light: Equivalence between Stokes parameters and coherency matrix formalisms
Abstract
Two formal solutions of the radiative transfer equation for polarized light have been proposed. One uses the Stokes parameters to describe the polarization, while the other uses the coherency matrix. It is shown in the present work that they are equivalent. Both can be used to compute response and contribution functions for the Stokes parameters and both require the solution of systems of differential equations with similar numbers of independent variables. New equations to solve the radiative transfer problem using the Stokes parameters formalism are presented. In addition, a computer code which synthesizes the Stokes profiles by means of these equations is described.
- Publication:
-
Solar Physics
- Pub Date:
- January 1992
- DOI:
- 10.1007/BF00146572
- Bibcode:
- 1992SoPh..137....1S
- Keywords:
-
- Polarized Light;
- Radiative Transfer;
- Solar Atmosphere;
- Stokes Law Of Radiation;
- Atmospheric Models;
- Line Spectra;
- Matrices (Mathematics);
- Optics;
- Differential Equation;
- Matrix Formalism;
- Formal Solution;
- Radiative Transfer;
- Computer Code