On Bailey's Theory of Amplified Circularly Polarized Waves in an Ionized Medium

Abstract

A critical analysis is given of Bailey's theory of propagation in an ionized medium. It is shown that the growing waves, which Bailey interprets as amplified waves, can only be excited by reflection and it is argued that this theory can explain neither the excess radiation observed from sunspots nor the excess noise observed in discharge tubes. However power amplification is possible in a drifting ionized medium under certain ideal conditions which are analyzed.