Thermal emission of an optically thick plasma containing a strong magnetic field

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Sov. Astron. AJ (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:6638505

Pavlov, G G; Shibanov, Y A

The intensity and polarization spectra and the directional diagrams are found for the emission of a photosphere having a strong (..omega../sub H/> or approx. =..omega.., h..omega../sub H/> or approx. =kT) magnetic field, in which free--free transitions predominate. A number of observational effects which result from the presence of a magnetic field in the photosphere are discussed: cyclotron resonances in the spectra; narrowing of the directional diagram, the magnitude of which depends nonmonotonically on the frequency; a change in the sign of the circular polarization and a jump in the position angle of the linear polarization at some frequencies, etc. The results of the work are applied to the interpretation of observations of hot magnetic white dwarfs. Many qualitative effects can also be observed in the emission of a wider class of objects having strong magnetic fields. In particular, the dependence of the width of the directional diagram on the energy of a quantum which is found can be manifested in the emission of x-ray pulsars. It is noted that the linear polarization of the emission of a number of white dwarfs can be explained without drawing on the hypothesis that very strong magnetic fields are present in their coronas.

• Research Organization: A. F. Ioffe Physicotechnical Institute
• OSTI ID: 6638505
• Journal Information: Sov. Astron. AJ (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Astron. AJ (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 22:2; ISSN SAAJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
ATMOSPHERES
CYCLOTRON RESONANCE
DISTRIBUTION
DWARF STARS
EMISSION SPECTRA
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC STARS
OPTICALLY THICK PLASMA
PHOTOSPHERE
PLASMA
POLARIZATION
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RESONANCE
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
SPECTRA
STARS
WHITE DWARF STARS