Circular polarisation of synchrotron radiation in high magnetic fields

Understand

The general model for incoherent synchrotron radiation has long been known, with the first theory being published by Westfold in $1959$ and continued by Westfold and Legg in $1968$.

• When this model was first developed it was applied to radiation from Jupiter, with a magnetic field of $\approx$ 1 G.
• Pulsars have a magnetic field of $\approx 10^{12}$ G.
• The Westfold and Legg model predict a circular polarization which is proportional to the square root of the magnetic field, and consequently predicts greater than 100 per cent circular polarization at high magnetic fields.