Correlation-induced changes in the degree of polarization, the degree of coherence, and the spectrum of random electromagnetic beams on propagation

A method is described, based on a recently formulated unified theory of coherence and polarization, for determining the changes that the degree of polarization, the degree of coherence, and the spectrum of a random electromagnetic beam may undergo as the beam propagates. Propagation in free space as well as in linear media, both deterministic and random, is discussed.