Radio Astronomical Polarimetry and the Lorentz Group | Zendy

M. C. Britton | Zendy

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Radio Astronomical Polarimetry and the Lorentz Group

Author(s) -

M. C. Britton

Publication year - 2000

Publication title -

the astrophysical journal

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.376

H-Index - 489

eISSN - 1538-4357

pISSN - 0004-637X

DOI - 10.1086/308595

Subject(s) - polarimetry , faraday effect , physics , context (archaeology) , polarization (electrochemistry) , radio astronomy , faraday cage , radio wave , radiation , astronomy , astrophysics , optics , magnetic field , scattering , geography , chemistry , quantum mechanics , archaeology

In radio astronomy the polarimetric properties of radiation are oftenmodified during propagation and reception. Effects such as Faraday rotation,receiver cross-talk, and differential amplification act to change the state ofpolarized radiation. A general description of such transformations is usefulfor the investigation of these effects and for the interpretation andcalibration of polarimetric observations. Such a description is provided by theLorentz group, which is intimately related to the transformation properties ofpolarized radiation. In this paper the transformations that commonly arise inradio astronomy are analyzed in the context of this group. This analysis isthen used to construct a model for the propagation and reception of radiowaves. The implications of this model for radio astronomical polarimetry arediscussed.Comment: 10 pages, accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa

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