ELLIPTICALLY POLARIZED JOVIAN DECAMETRIC RADIATION - AN INVESTIGATIONOF THE ELECTRON-CYCLOTRON MASER MECHANISM

A model for the elliptical polarization of Jovian decametric radiation is presented, based on the electron cyclotron mechanism. The aim is t o determine whether the observed elliptical polarization is consistent with the radiation being generated by mildly relativistic electrons s treaming along converging magnetic field lines. The growth rate for el ectron cyclotron maser emission is considered, assuming a drifting DGH distribution function for the streaming electrons. Constraints on the allowable parameters of this distribution function are made by the ob served polarization, timescale, bandwidth, and angular range of the ra diation.