Integrated polarization of hydrogen lines in a strong magnetic field

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · Sov. Astron. AJ (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:7342931

Pavlov, G G; Shibanov, Y A

The integrated circular and linear polarization of hydrogen lines in a strong magnetic field is calculated. A population difference between the Zeeman sublevels and different oscillator strengths for the sigma/subV/ and sigma/subR/ components of the Zeeman triplet are responsible for the integrated circular polarization. It can have either sign, depending on the line number in the Balmer series. The percentage circular polarization of the hydrogen lines is comparable to the polarization for free-free transitions in a magnetic field. The integrated linear polarization arises primarily from the different shifts of the ..pi.. and sigma components due to the quadratic Zeeman effect. It may be comparable to the circular polarization for transitions near the Balmer limit, and it would considerably exceed the linear polarization for continuum processes. The effects discussed might produce the polarization observed in magnetic white dwarfs. (AIP)

• Research Organization: A. F. Ioffe Physicotechnical Physics Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences, Leningrad
• OSTI ID: 7342931
• Journal Information: Sov. Astron. AJ (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Astron. AJ (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 20:1; ISSN SAAJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
640302 -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
BALMER LINES
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DWARF STARS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
FLUIDS
HYDROGEN
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NONMETALS
POLARIZATION
SPECTRA
STARS
WHITE DWARF STARS
ZEEMAN EFFECT