The scattering matrix of transparent particles of random shape in the geometrical optics approximation

A numerical model that allows one to calculate elements of the scattering matrix for transparent particles of random shape in the geometrical optics approximation is presented. It is shown that a deviation from sphericity, which, in particular, is modeled by a reduction of the number of triangular facets approximating a sphere, essentially affects the magnitude, position, and width of peaks of the photometric and polarimetric indicatrices. Thus, when 1500 facets were used for the approximation, the amplitude of the polarimetric peak associated with the first rainbow, which is located close to the scattering angle 160°, decreases by a factor of two. Calculations showed that, in the region of backscattering, for particles of an arbitrary shape, the linear polarization ?F ₁₂/F ₁₁ has no negative branch, which is well observed for spherical particles. In going from spherical to nonspherical particles, the backscattering peak also disappears. The indicatrices for particles of irregular shape that were calculated for small distances from the center of a particle noticeably differ from the indicatrices at infinity. Thus, when simulating multiple scattering in dense powderlike media, the use of particle scattering indicatrices that were calculated for infinite distances is incorrect even in the geometrical optics approximation.