Invert the two-dimensional Fourier transform in the long-path projection of a magnetic correlation, then perform the angular integration in polar coordinates. The angular integral is , a Bessel function of the first kind, giving the displayed Hankel transform with the stated Fourier-Hankel normalization for an isotropic spectrum. The result recovers the scalar tensor coefficient , whose shell-integrated magnetic energy spectrum has an additional factor .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2006 iii Paper 69 1 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Write the transverse displacement as and take the common line-of-sight interval to be . The rotation measure is a line integral of the magnetic field, so its correlation isSubstitute the Fourier inversion of the solenoidal isotropic spectral tensor. Keeping the finite observation length gives the exact windowed expressionThe allowed extension of the longitudinal displacement integral to the whole real line is the long-path projection of a magnetic correlation. It applies when is much larger than the correlation length: equivalently, the squared window becomes inside the integral. The Dirac delta function sets , leavingStatistical isotropy makes this a function of . The displayed two-dimensional relation is the intended long-path approximation; the preceding windowed formula accounts for finite-length edge effects.