The relationship between the atomic coherent-state representation of Arecchi et al. [Phys. Rev. A 6, 2211 (1972)] and the state multipoles is established. The state multipoles are used to develop a theory of generalized phase-space distributions for angular momentum (collective atomic) systems. The general theory for angular momentum systems is shown to have many features in common with the general theory for boson systems [Phys. Rev. D 2, 2161 (1970)]. These generalized phase-space distributions contain as a special case the coherent-state representation of Arecchi et al. The applications of the generalized phase-space distributions and state multipoles to the dynamical problems and to the calculation of multitime correlations are given. State-multipole techniques are used to give a brief discussion of the master equation describing cooperative resonance fluorescence.

• Received 11 February 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.24.2889