Scattering by non-spherical particles of size comparable to a wavelength - A new semi-empirical theoryAn approximate method is proposed for evaluating the interaction of randomly oriented, nonspherical particles with the total intensity component of electromagnetic radiation. When the particle size parameter, x, the ratio of particle circumference to wavelength, is less than some upper bound x(o) (about 5), Mie theory is used. For x greater than x(o), the interaction is divided into three components: diffraction, external reflection, and transmission. Physical optics theory is used to obtain the first of these components; geometrical optics theory is applied to the second; and a simple parameterization is employed for the third. The predictions of this theory are found to be in very good agreement with laboratory measurements for a wide variety of particle shapes, sizes, and refractive indexes. Limitations of the theory are also noted.
Document ID
19800049880
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Other - Collected Works
Authors
Pollack, J. B. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Cuzzi, J. N. (NASA Ames Research Center Space Sciences Div., Moffett Field, Calif., United States)