Numerically exact computer simulations of light scattering by densely packed, random particulate media

Direct computer simulations of electromagnetic scattering by discrete random media have become an active area of research. In this progress review, we summarize and analyze our main results obtained by means of numerically exact computer solutions of the macroscopic Maxwell equations. We consider finite scattering volumes with size parameters in the range [20] and [59], composed of varying numbers of randomly distributed particles with different refractive indices. The main objective of our analysis is to examine whether all backscattering effects predicted by the low-density theory of coherent backscattering (CB) also take place in the case of densely packed media. Based on our extensive numerical data we arrive at the following conclusions: (i) all backscattering effects predicted by the asymptotic theory of CB can also take place in the case of densely packed media; (ii) in the case of very large particle packing density, scattering characteristics of discrete random media can exhibit behavior not predicted by the low-density theories of CB and radiative transfer; (iii) increasing the absorptivity of the constituent particles can either enhance or suppress typical manifestations of CB depending on the particle packing density and the real part of the refractive index. Our numerical data strongly suggest that spectacular backscattering effects identified in laboratory experiments and observed for a class of high-albedo Solar System objects are caused by CB.     

Probability density function of the intensity scattered by Rayleigh-particle aggregates. Evolution with optical properties

We study the probability density function of the statistical fluctuations of the intensity scattered by an aggregate freely floating in space and constituted by Rayleigh particles under the dipole approximation. Its evolution as a function of the optical properties of the particles (polarizability) and their separation distance is analyzed. Aggregate geometries with two and three particles will be considered. The influence of the multiple scattering effect on the statistics of the scattered intensity is especially studied.     

Light scattering theories and computer codes

In aerosol science today light scattering simulations are regarded as an indispensable tool to develop new particle characterization techniques or in solving inverse light scattering problems. Light scattering theories and related computational methods have evolved rapidly during the past decade such that scattering computations for wavelength sized nonspherical scatterers can be easily performed. This significant progress has resulted from rapid advances in computational algorithms developed in this field and from improved computer hardware.In this paper a review of the recent progress of light scattering theories and available computational programs is presented. We will focus on exact theories and will not cover approximate methods such as geometrical optics. Short outlines of the various theories are given alongside with informations on their capabilities and restrictions.     

Light scattering by needle-type and disk-type particles

A powerful tool to analyze light scattering by 3D arbitrary-shaped homogeneous or inhomogeneous obstacles located in free space is based on volume integral equation. In this paper we apply a weak form of volume integral equation to simulate light scattering by needle- and disk-type particles such as straight and curved cylinders, cylindrical plate and hexagonal prism with high aspect ratio and low and high values of refractive indexes. For problems where discrete sources method could be applied, we calculated differential scattering cross-section using both methods and got excellent agreement in results.     

Particle size effect on the opposition spike and negative polarization

We report results of experiments designed to increase our understanding of the influence of particle size on the photometric opposition spike and negative polarization observed in the reflectance and polarization phase curves of particulate surfaces. We concentrate our studies on particle-size separates of alumina (bright powders) and boron carbide (absorbing powders). We use two photopolarimeters that span small (0.2-17°) and large (2-160°) phase-angle ranges. The results suggest that the negative polarization has two dominant mechanisms: (1) the coherent-backscatter enhancement and (2) single-particle scatter, and that the contributions of the mechanisms are a function of particle size. The measured photometric and polarimetric phase functions can be applied to evaluate models used to calculate scattering properties of particulate surfaces.     

Light scattering by complex ice-analogue crystals

Angle-dependent light-scattering measurements on single ice analogues crystals are described. Phase functions and degree of linear polarization are measured for electrodynamically levitated crystals. A procedure for randomizing particle orientation during levitation is demonstrated. The dependence of scattering on the shape, complexity and surface roughness of the crystals is examined. The phase functions from complex crystals with smooth surfaces show little dependence on shape. There is close agreement between the measured functions and the analytic phase function for ice clouds. However, rosettes with rough surfaces have qualitatively different phase functions, with raised side and back scattering. The asymmetry parameter is typically about 0.8±0.04 and 0.63±0.05 for smooth and rough crystals, respectively. The 22° halo peak is present for smooth rosettes and aggregates but absent for rough rosettes. Two-dimensional scattering patterns from several crystals in fixed orientations are also shown. The results suggest that it may be possible to use such patterns to discriminate not only between crystals of different shape but also to obtain some information on surface properties.     

Characterization of the light scattering by ensembles of randomly distributed soot aggregates

Soot particles formed in combustion processes commonly exist in the form of ensembles of randomly distributed aggregates of small, nearly spherical monomers. In this paper, these randomly distributed aggregates are numerically generated using a combination of the cluster–cluster aggregation algorithm with the Monte Carlo method. Moreover, an efficient and accurate numerical method is presented for characterizing the light scattering by these complex soot particles illuminated by plane wave and Gaussian beam. This method exploits the unique features of the hybrid finite element-boundary integral method and, more importantly, the unique features of soot aggregates. It is designed in such a manner that it first decomposes the original problem into many sub-regions, where each primary particle is regarded as a sub-region, and then it employs the edge-based finite element method to deal with each sub-region. The sub-regions communicate through the near-field Green’s function. To reduce computational burdens, an iterative domain decomposition method in combination with parallel conjugate gradient method is adopted to solve the coupling system of equations. As an illustration, we present some of our preliminary numerical results. The results are expected to provide useful insights into the optical properties of soot particles formed in combustion processes.     

Light scattering studies of the ion acoustic instability in a positive column plasma

Light scattering is used to study the amplitude, spectrum, and angular distribution of the saturated state of the ion acoustic instability in a He positive column plasma. The ion acoustic waves are driven unstable by the electron current in the column. The properties of the saturated state are studied as a function of the concentration of hydrogen impurities which are found to be present in positive column plasmas. At concentrations of a few percent, the hydrogen ions can cause linear wave damping. Their role in saturating the instability by nonlinear processes is studied by varying the hydrogen concentration.     

Light scattering by some nematic liquid crystals due to phase transitions

New computer modelling of light scattering and its propagation through liquid crystal has been presented using T-matrix method in the structural phase transition regions. Numerical aspects of light scattering process, which are based on numerically solving Maxwell's equations, were calculated for some nematic liquid crystals. Firstly, we described in detail T-matrix method for computing light scattering from nematic liquid crystals and presented results of benchmark computations for the considered model. We reported results of extensive calculations for polydisperse, randomly oriented rod-like multilayered systems (nematic liquid crystals). Our results are associated with light scattering by ferroelectric and ferroelastic materials.     

Model of light scattering by dust particles in the solar system: Applications to cometary comae and planetary regoliths

We analyze both the intensity and linear polarization of cosmic dust particles by using the physically exact superposition T-matrix method in a fixed orientation for various aggregates of spheres and DDA for the aggregates of Gaussian random spheres. We study both the spherical geometry (in cometary comae) and cylindrical slabs (for regoliths) up to 2000 monomers with size parameters less than ∼3. It is straightforward to produce the observed linear polarization in both geometries while the typically convex and strong opposition spike seems to require wide regolith geometries. The dependence of various parameters on light scattering has also been studied in a rather detailed form. In applications to the cometary polarization we can fit the data in six colors from UV to the J band at a very good accuracy. We, however, emphasize that we do not claim our model to be unique. The most important parameters here are the refractive index and the size distribution of submicron particles. Rest of the parameters has only a minor role. We also found that it is critically important to use several realizations from any assumed particle geometry model because corresponding scattering characteristics can vary quite a lot.     

Light scattering studies of oleic acid under high pressure

Abstract

Elastic light scattering of oleic acid has been studied at room temperature and at pressures up to 0.5 GPa, where the strong scattering of radiation in the visible region occurs. For the application of pressure above 0.21 GPa the strong increase of the scattered light intensity has been observed some seconds after an application of pressure. More detailed analysis shows that Me theory is not sufficient to explain experimental results for size of Scattering particle greater than 18 μm.     

Light scattering by fluffy particles with the PROGRA experiment: Mixtures of materials

The PROGRA² experiment is specifically designed to measure the linear polarization of the light scattered by clouds of particles. The imaging method allows us to obtain maps of polarization and to measure the size distribution and the number density of the particles in the field of view. This work presents a systematic study of highly porous (fluffy) aggregates with submicron-sized constituent grains lifted by an air-draught. The main materials are silica and carbon. The maximum in polarization mainly depends on the average size of the constituent grains. The results, mainly concerned with the negative branch of the phase curves, the maximum polarization, the color effect and the albedo are compared with cometary observations and discussed in terms of physical properties.     

Light scattering by “soft” particles of arbitrary shape and size: II—Arbitrary orientation of particles in the space

In this part of the article a new version analysis of light scattering by “soft” particles is presented that makes it possible to reduce and simplify the process of numerical calculations. The calculation results of the integral scattering cross-sections and indicatrices for spheroid, parallelepiped and cylinder for their arbitrary orientation in space are given as an illustration. The results are accompanied by transparent physical interpretations, based on the examination of the contour graphs of the three-dimensional spectra of particles.     

铁电液晶MBOPDOB相变的光散射研究

我们对铁电液晶 MBOPDOB 进行了温度有关的拉曼散射研究。在低频范围记录了三条拉曼谱线(15,49,93cm~(-1))。其中15和49cm~(-1)谱线消失于 C-Sm C相变温度,没有检测到任何频移现象。93cm~(-1)拉曼线产生部分频移,消失于各向同性相,联系着偶极-偶极互作用。高频范围四个振动模(1178和1116cm~(-1),1710和1738cm~(-1))之间能量转移归于由电子转移引起的 C=0键硬化和 C-0健的弱化。同时也讨论了该液晶 Sm C-Sm A 相变的二级连续型特征。     

The effect of the properties of porous media on light scattering

Numerical wave-optical methods for light scattering simulations are used to asses the effect of porosity on the optical properties of paper coating. Both constant porosity profile and media with porosity contrast between layers at different depths are considered. We can predict optimal paper coating structures for both brightness and gloss from the results.     

Invisibility cloaking in light‐scattering media

A major aim of researchers working in the field of optics and photonics is to mold the flow of light in optical structures and devices. In the regime of ballistic light propagation, transformation optics has given a certain boost, for which optical invisibility cloaking devices are striking examples. Our capability to mold the flow of light in the regime of diffuse light propagation in light‐scattering media has fallen behind—while diffuse light from clouds, white wallpaper, computer monitors, and light‐emitting diodes is literally all around us every day. In this review, we summarize progress in steering the flow of diffuse light in turbid media which was triggered by the mathematical analogy between electrostatics, magnetostatics, stationary heat conduction, and stationary light diffusion. We give an extensive tutorial introduction to the mathematics of the diffusion equation for light and its solutions, present an overview on the current experimental state‐of‐the‐art of simple core–shell invisibility cloaking, and compare these experiments with diffusion theory as well as with more advanced modelling based on Monte Carlo simulations. The latter approach enables spanning the bridge from diffusive to ballistic light propagation.

     

Study of the sensitivity of size-averaged scattering matrix elements of nonspherical particles to changes in shape, porosity and refractive index

Studies of the physical parameters that influence the single scattering properties of a size distribution of small particles in random orientation are fundamental in understanding the origin of the observed dependence of the scattering matrix elements on the scattering angle. We present results of extensive calculations of the single scattering matrices of small nonspherical particles performed by a computational model based on the Discrete-Dipole Approximation. We have particularly studied the sensitivity of the size-averaged scattering properties at visible wavelengths of nonspherical, randomly oriented absorbing particles considering changes in shape, porosity and refractive index. These studies have importance regarding the inversion of physical properties of small particles as measured in the laboratory and the dust properties in various astrophysical and atmospherical environments. We have found that size distributions of randomly oriented irregular particles of different shape, including large aspect ratio particles, show similar scattering matrix elements as a function of the scattering angle, in contrast with the pattern found for regularly shaped particles of varying axis ratios, for which the scattering matrix elements as a function of the scattering angle show much larger differences among them. Regarding porosity, we have found a very different pattern in the scattering matrix elements for an ensemble of compact and porous particles. In particular, the linear polarization for incident unpolarized light produced by compact and absorbing particles of large size parameter tend to mimic the pattern found for large absorbing spheres. For porous particles, however, the linear polarization for incident unpolarized light tends to decrease as the size of the particle grows, with the maximum being displaced towards smaller and smaller scattering angles.