POLARIZATION TRANSFER OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES IN A MAGNETIZED PLASMA,

The polarization transfer equations in terms of the Stokes parameters are derived for electromagnetic waves propagating in an arbitrary direction in an inhomogeneous magnetized plasma. This system of transfer equations is then solved analytically in the case when the magnetized plasma is homogeneous. For simplicity in presentation, the source term in the equation of transfer has been omitted. Transmitting to the special case of quasi-longitudinal propagation, the results obtained here are shown to be in agreement to that derived by Zheleznyakov earlier. Author