Stokes parameter analysis of light that is temporally and spatially depolarized

We present a unified treatment of temporal and spatial depolarization in a quasi-monochromatic electromagnetic wave using Stokes parameters analysis. In our approach the Stokes parameters depend on the physical properties of light in a certain space volume. In this volume light can be divided into different light components that have the property of being homogenously polarized and that occupy different volume portions. In particular the obtained Stokes parameters are the weighted average of the Stokes parameters of these light components.