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Analytical solution of the radiative transfer equation for polarized light

A. Lopez Ariste·M. Semel
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Abstract

A new formalism is introduced for the transfer of polarized radiation. Stokes parameters are shown to be four-vectors in a Minkowski-like space and, most strikingly, the radiative transfer equation (RTE) turns out to be an infinitesimal transformation under the Poincare (plus dilatations) group. A solution to the transfer equation as a finite element of this group is proposed.

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A. Lopez Ariste, M. Semel. 1999-09-14. Analytical solution of the radiative transfer equation for polarized light. https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9909232

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