Cyclotron radiation from magnetic cataclysmic variables

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5728469

Barrett, P E

The absorption coefficient for the ordinary and extraordinary modes of wave propagation are calculated for cyclotron radiation from hot magnetized plasmas (kT < 50 keV). Two relativistic methods are used to calculate the absorption coefficients: the dielectric formulation and the single-particle formulation. A nonrelativistic approximation that includes the effects of inverse-bremsstrahlung and Thomson scattering (collisions) is also made. The equations of radiative transfer for a homogeneous plasma, with large Faraday rotation, are solved, and simple analytic expressions for the Stokes parameters Q and V are derived in terms of the optical depths in both modes. The results are applied to the accretion columns of AM Herculis binaries. The inclusion of collisional effects in the nonrelativistic approximation reduces the amount of fractionally polarized light to levels that agree better with the observations. For small viewing angles with the magnetic field, the circular polarization does not approach 100% as is observed in the relativistic calculations without the effects of collisions. The polarization approaches a value much less than 100%. This result may provide a qualitative explanation of the standstill observed in some AM Herculis binaries.

• Research Organization: Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5728469
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Stars &amp; Quasi-Stellar
Radio &amp; X-Ray Sources
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700108 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Wave Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BINARY STARS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
CYCLOTRON RADIATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
INELASTIC SCATTERING
PLASMA
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIATIONS
SCATTERING
STARS
STOKES PARAMETERS
THOMSON SCATTERING
VARIABLE STARS
WAVE PROPAGATION