A THEORY OF RADIATION BY A RELATIVISTIC CHARGED PARTICLE MOVING THROUGH A CURVED MAGNETIC FIELD: THE UNDULATOR-CURVATURE MECHANISM

摘要

The angular and frequency spectra are derived for the radiation from an ultra-relativistic charged particle moving along a curved helical path. Contributions to the radiation intensity are due to the curvature radiation and undulator radiation mechanisms, associated with many revolutions of the particle about its drift path. The curvature radiation is plane polarized, while the undulator radiation is characterized by a circular polarization. The impact of the magnetic field-line curvature upon polarization of the undulator radiation is analyzed. A hypothesis has been put forward on the feasibility of the undulator radiation mechanism in pulsar magnetospheres.