Approximate Expression of Ellipse Polarization Degree for Gyrosynchrotron Radiation
ZHOU Ai-Hua
Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008
National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012
Approximate Expression of Ellipse Polarization Degree for Gyrosynchrotron Radiation
ZHOU Ai-Hua
Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008
National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012
Abstract: We study the elliptical polarization degree (EPD) of gyrosynchrotron radiation for the case of transverse propagation. The EPD decreases with increasing ellipticity R (i.e., ratio of the major and miner axial lenths) and with decreasing electron energy spectral index δ. The EPD value varies from 0.55 to 0.15 in the whole range of 3 ≤ R ≤ 10 and 2 ≤ δ ≤ 7. An approximate expression for the EPD is proposed, in which we assume that the emitting electrons have an isotropic pitch angle distribution and a power law distribution in energy. The expression is designed for the electron energy spectral index δ from 2 to 7, as well as the harmonic numbers s from 2 to 70 with a statistical error of ±6%. The expression can be applied to the polarization analysis and magnetic field strength diagnostic for solar limb events.