A non-linear model for the intensity, linewidth, and coherence of astrophysical masers
Abstract
The effect of pumping on the steady state coherent loss-less light wave trains which can propagate through a two-level resonant medium is studied. This phenomenon is a form of self-induced transparency. It is shown that for certain kinds of pumping this problem can be solved by assuming slowly varying parameters for the elliptic functions which describe the non-pumped steady state solutions. The resulting energy density and linewidth of the coherent radiation when Doppler broadening predominates grows asymptotically. The wave train evolves into a train of more and more distinct pulses. These results are applied to astrophysical clouds from which masing is observed, and it is shown that present observations are consistent with the form of coherent radiation predicted by the model described above.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- May 1974
- Bibcode:
- 1974PhDT.........6R
- Keywords:
-
- Astronomical Models;
- Coherent Radiation;
- Luminous Intensity;
- Masers;
- Spectral Line Width;
- Doppler Effect;
- Elliptic Functions;
- Optical Pumping;
- Transparence;
- Wave Propagation;
- Astrophysics