Scintillation-Induced Circular Polarization in Pulsars and Quasars

We present a physical interpretation for the generation of circular polarization resulting from the propagation of radiation through a magnetized plasma in terms of a rotation measure gradient, or `Faraday wedges’. Criteria for the observability of scintillation-induced circular polarization are identified. Application of the theory to the circular polarization in pulsars and compact extragalactic sources is discussed.