Understanding radio polarimetry. I. Mathematical foundations
Understanding radio polarimetry. I. Mathematical foundations
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DOI：
10.1051/aas:1996146
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发表时间：
1996-05
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
J. Hamaker;J. Bregman;R. Sault
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
J. Hamaker;J. Bregman;R. Sault
偏振辐射的测量在光波长和无线电波长使用完全不同的方法。因此，偏振计性能的代数分析不同，在无线电干涉测量的情况下，是不必要的复杂。我们证明了外矩阵乘法的数学运算提供了这两种方法之间缺失的环节。在一个连贯的框架内，我们然后统一的斯托克斯参数和沃尔夫相干矩阵的概念，琼斯和穆勒演算从光学，和无线电干涉测量技术的基础上乘法放大器。我们涉及到一个完整的无线电干涉仪的偏振性能（矩阵）的偏振特性，其连续的信号处理阶段，提供了一个清晰的无线电偏振计的工作原理。我们的治疗也澄清了性质和光学偏振测量中使用的各种类型的转换之间的关系。我们从无线电干涉仪的角度进行分析，但包括足够的背景，更广泛的观众。在一个配套文件中，我们将更详细地讨论无线电干涉仪系统的校准应用;在第三篇论文中，我们调查了国际天文学联合会（1973年）的斯托克斯参数的无线电定义及其精确的数学形式的翻译。
The measurement of polarized radiation uses entirely different methods at optical and radio wavelengths. As a result, the algebraic analysis of polarimeter performance differs and, in the case of radio interferometry, is unnecessarily complicated. We demonstrate that the mathematical operation of outer matrix multiplication provides the missing link between the two approaches. Within one coherent framework, we then unite the concepts of Stokes parameters and Wolf coherency matrix, the Jones and Mueller calculi from optics, and the techniques of radio interferometry based on multiplying correlators. We relate the polarization performance of a complete radio interferometer to the (matrix) polarization properties of its successive signal processing stages, providing a clear view of how a radio polarimeter works. Our treatment also clarifies the nature of and the relations between the various types of transformations used in optical polarimetry. We develop the analysis from the radio interferometrist's point of view, but include enough background for a wider audience. In a companion paper, we discuss in more detail the application to the calibration of radio interferometer systems; in a third paper we investigate the IAU (1973) radio definition of the Stokes parameters and its precise translation into mathematical form.