Propagation and escape of astrophysical cyclotron-maser radiation

A multitude of astrophysical plasma environments exist where a combination of particle acceleration, convergent magnetic fields and a sufficiently large ratio of electron cyclotron frequency to plasma frequency are present to support electron cyclotron-maser emission [1]. The resultant radiation signatures typically comprise of well-defined spectral components (around the relativistic electron cyclotron frequency) with near 100% left or right handed circular polarization when viewed out-with the source region. Although the generation mechanism has been well documented [1][2], there are numerous potential hindrances to the propagation and escape of the radiation from the source region, including second harmonic cyclotron absorption [3] and coupling onto the dispersion branch connecting with vacuum propagation.