A new approach to radiative transfer theory using Jones's vectors

Abstract

Radiative transfer of partially polarized radiation in an anisotropically scattering, inhomogeneous atmosphere containing an arbitrary polydispersion of particles is described using Jones's amplitude vectors and matrices. This novel approach exploits the close analogy between the quantum mechanical states of spin 1/2 systems and the polarization states of electromagnetic radiation described by Jones's vector, and draws on the methodology of such spin 1/2 systems. The complete equivalence between the transport equation for Jones's vectors and the classical radiative transfer equation for Stokes's intensity vectors is demonstrated in two independent ways after deriving the transport equations for the polarization coherency matrices and for the quaternions corresponding to the Jones's vectors. A compact operator formulation of the theory is provided, and used to derive the necessary equations for both a local and a global description of the transport of Jones's vectors. Lastly, the integro-differential equations for the amplitude reflection and transmission matrices are derived, and related to the usual corresponding equations. The present formulation is the most succinct and the most convenient one for both theoretical and experimental studies. It yields a simpler analysis than the classical formulation since it reduces by a factor of two the dimensionality of transfer problems. It preserves information on phases, and thus can be used directly across the entire electromagnetic spectrum without any further conversion into intensities.