Generation of gamma-rays in electron-photon cascades

We have studied an electron-photon cascade in an isotropic photon field as one of the possible gamma-ray generation mechanisms in compact sources.A cascade in a monoenergetic photon field and in a field of the power-law spectrum is considered. Two types of interaction of cascade particles with the photon field are taken into account: the inverse Compton scattering of electrons and the photoproduction of electron-positron pairs by gamma-quanta. The cascade characteristics have been obtained by numerical solution of the kinetic equations. A quantitative and qualitative analysis is made of the main regularities of the cascade. We have established simple relations between the spectra of cascade particles and the parameters of the photon field and primary radiation. The magnetic field effect on the cascade characteristics is estimated. The results obtained are compared with the results of calculation of other investigators.In the first part of the paper we outline the method of solution and the results relating to the monoenergetic photon field. The theory of cascades in a photon field of the power-law spectrum and its application to the problem of gamma-rays in compact sources are discussed in the second part of the present paper.