A GRAPHICAL-METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE TUNNELING FACTOR FOR MODE CONVERSION PROCESSES

The fundamental parameter characterizing the strength of any mode conv ersion process is the tunneling parameter, which is typically determin ed from a model dispersion relation which is transformed into a differ ential equation. Here a graphical method is described which gives the tunneling parameter from quantities directly measured from a simple gr aph of the dispersion relation. The accuracy of the estimate depends o nly on the accuracy of the measurements.