Non-coherent scattering in subordinate lines: III. Generalized redistribution functions

The concept of the redistribution function, which was originally introduced in order to describe a correlation between frequencies and directions of the absorbed and emitted photon in resonance scattering, has been extended to other resonance two-photon processes including resonance Raman scattering, resonance two-photon absorption and emission, and inverse Raman scattering. We have derived, within the frame of the impact approximation, the appropriate form of the generalized redistribution function. Using a suitable formalism, the generalized redistribution function takes the same form for all types of two-photon processes and contains all the redistribution functions, considered previously, as various limiting cases. In analogy to Hummer's original scheme of redistribution functions, we have derived a similar set of generalized redistribution functions, denoted as p_i(i = I, II, III, IV, V), and we have shown that the most general case is described by a linear combination of p_III and p_V, analogously to the previous results. Explicit formulae for the velocity-averaged (laboratory-frame) generalized redistribution functions p_i(i = I, II, III, IV, V) are given and possible numerical methods for their evaluation are briefly indicated.