Polarization and space-frequency coherence in radiometric emission

New results are derived for the relationship between polarization and coherence in radiometric fields. We consider the vector theory of coherence for thermal radiation emission from a planar. opaque, specular surface held at fixed, uniform temperature, in the asymptotic limit in which a radiometric description of the field is applicable. Three dyadic equations are derived here, which relate the thr ee cross-spectral tensors to the components of the Stokes vector characterizing the polarization state of the field in transport theory. Tl-le second-order coherence properties of the radiometric field are determined once the Stokes vector has been specified. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.