Linearly polarized radiation from astrophysical masers due to magnetic fields when the rate for stimulated emission exceeds the Zeeman frequency

The results are presented of reformulating the treatment of polarized maser radiation in the presence of magnetic fields in a way that seems somewhat more convenient for calculations with masing states having angular momenta greater than J = 1 and 0. Calculations are then performed for the case of small Zeeman splitting using idealizations which are equivalant to those made previously in calculations for a J = 1-0 transition. The results provide a complete, general description of the polarization characteristics of astrophysical maser radiation involving states of higher angular momentum of closed-shell molecules.