The Transfer of Radiation in a Spherical Atmosphere of Electrons.

The emergent intensities in the two components of polarized light are determined for the case of an extended spherical atmosphere of electrons resting on a photosphere which emits unpolarized radiation. The problem is solved in an approximation which includes terms through P3(,4 in an expansion in spheri- cal harmonics and for an atmosphere extending to infinity, in which the opacity varies inversely as the square of the radius. Atmospheres are considered with total optical thicknesses, T~, of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0. It is found that the polarization of the scattered light varies from zero at the center of the star to 19, 16, and 11 per cent at the edge of the photosphere for 71 = 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0, respectively. Beyond the discontinuity at the photosphere, the degree of polarization remains practically constant, decreasing slowly from 22 per cent for Ti = 0.5, increasing from 19 to 20 per cent before decreasing for Ti = 1.0, and increasing from 13 to 20 per cent and then decreasing for Ti = 2.0. In every case the degree of polariza- tion is approximately 20 per cent, decreasing slowly at ten radii from the center of the star