Stokes parameters and degree of polarization of nonparaxial stochastic electromagnetic beams

On the basis of angular spectrum representation and the stationary-phase method, far-field expressions for generalized Stokes parameters of nonparaxial stochastic electromagnetic beams are derived, which permits us to study the changes in the ordinary Stokes parameters upon propagation, and the changes in the spectral degree of polarization of partially polarized nonparaxial stochastic electromagnetic beams. It is shown that the spectral degree of polarization changes across the section on beam propagation.