Polarimetric weak-localization effect in scattering of natural light in the region of small phase angles

Results of laboratory measurements and interpretations of the polarimetric effect of weak localization (negative polarization) appearing under scattering of natural light by a dark ultradisperse surface (soot with albedo of 2.5%) are presented. The measurements were carried out in red light in a range of phase angles of 0.2°–4.2°. It was revealed that the soot, despite the low albedo, shows the polarimetric weak-localization effect inherent in bright surfaces such as the surface formed by smoked MgO. The results of measurements are interpreted using numerical simulation of multiple light scattering in a medium consisting of particles whose characteristics are close to those observed for soot. As the result of simulation, it was found that the scattering with the multiplicity exceeding two can give rise to a negative polarization branch, which becomes narrower with increasing scattering order. For the case of soot, four orders of scattering is sufficient to describe the observed polarimetric effect of weak localization with a necessary accuracy.