Inelastic intermediate states in proton-deuteron and deuteron-deuteron elastic collisions at the ISR

We present experimental results on proton-deuteron and deuteron-deuteron elastic scattering measured at the two highest ISR energies, √s = 53 GeV and √s = 63 GeV. The data cover the single- and multiple-scattering regions over a wide interval of four-momentum transfer t. In both reactions we find clear evidence for a substantial t-dependent contribution of inelastic intermediate states in the multiple-scattering region, as well as in single scattering. In the analysis we use the Glauber multiple-scattering theory extended to include inelastic shadow effects. This extension of the basic theory contains as input a triple-Regge parametrization describing the high-mass inclusive spectrum. The analysis of inelastic corrections to multiple scattering on deuterons at high energies is shown to provide a sensitive test of different parametrization of inclusive production in proton-proton collisions.     

Singular value distribution of the propagation matrix in random scattering media

The distribution of singular values of the propagation operator in a random medium is investigated, in a backscattering configuration. Experiments are carried out with pulsed ultrasonic waves around 3 MHz, using an array of 64 programmable transducers placed in front of a random scattering medium. The impulse responses between each pair of transducers are measured and form the response matrix. The evolution of its singular values with time and frequency is computed by means of a short-time Fourier analysis. The mean distribution of singular values exhibits a very different behaviour in the single and multiple scattering regimes. The results are compared with random matrix theory. Once the experimental matrix coefficients are renormalized, experimental results and theoretical predictions are found to be in a very good agreement. Two kinds of random media have been investigated: a highly scattering medium in which multiple scattering predominates and a weakly scattering medium. In both cases, residual correlations that may exist between matrix elements are shown to be a key parameter. Finally, the possibility of detecting a target embedded in a random scattering medium based on the statistical properties of the strongest singular value is discussed.     

Limits of time-reversal focusing through multiple scattering: long-range correlation

Experimental results of time-reversal focusing in a high-order multiple scattering medium are presented and compared to theoretical predictions based on a statistical model. The medium consists of a random collection of parallel steel rods. An ultrasonic source (3.2 MHz) transmits a pulse that undergoes multiple scattering and is recorded on an array. The time-reversed waves are sent by the array back to the source through the scattering medium. The quality of temporal focusing is very well predicted by a simple statistical model. However, for thicker samples, persistent temporal side-lobes appear. We interpret these side-lobes as a consequence of the growing number of crossing paths in the sample due to high-order multiple scattering. As to spatial focusing, the resolution is practically independent from the array's aperture. With a 16-element array, the resolution was found to be 30 times finer than in a homogeneous medium. Resolutions of the order of the wavelength (0.5 mm) were attained. These results are discussed in relation with the statistical properties of time-reversal mirrors in a random medium.     

Measurements of structure-induced polarization features in forward scattering from collections of cylindrical fibers

Many applications in remote sensing, material sciences and biomedical field are characterized by a transition domain between single scattering and multiple-scattering regimes. This regime is described by typical polarization features which can be used to retrieve structural information. An electronically agile technique was used for measuring in real time the Stokes vectors of light incident on and emerging from an inhomogeneous medium. Subsequently, the Mueller matrix associated with the scattering medium is determined. We focus our attention on forward scattering from systems consisting of random as well as partially oriented long cylindrical fibers. We discuss the effects of: (1) shape of individual scattering centers, (2) structure parameter, and (3) optical density of the scattering medium. The anisotropic behavior of the structure function at different packing fractions determines nontrivial characteristics of the polarization transfer. The complex effective index of refraction can be polarization dependent as a result of the optical anisotropy due to both the shape of the individual scatterers and the structure characteristics of the scattering system. Some of the Mueller matrix elements are shown to be related to the optical anisotropy of the system for the case of long cylindrical fibers. The polarization efficiency, the structure parameter, and the packing fraction are used to quantify this relationship. We also found that some of the matrix elements are more sensitive to the degree of structural anisotropy and the packing fraction, while other elements are sensitive to structural non-uniformities across the investigated area.     

Soliton dynamics in a two-level medium with pumping

A perturbation theory is developed for a system of evolution equations close to integrable systems in the method of inverse scattering with a spectral parameter depending on variables. This theory is used for analyzing the evolution features for soliton light pulses in a two-level medium with the upper level pumping taking into account linear and nonlinear losses as well as dispersion. Various modes of soliton evolution (including the random mode) in such a system are investigated numerically. It is shown that anomalies in the dependence of soliton parameters on the length of the laser medium appear in the presence of nonuniform broadening in the case when the upper level pumping rate and inverse population losses are functions of detuning. The contribution from the radiative component of the solution is also analyzed taking into account perturbations; it is shown that this contribution can be disregarded in a certain range of parameters.     

Polarization correlations in two-dimensional random media

Abstract

Second-order polarization correlation functions, both theoretical and experimental, are presented for optical waves propagating through a highly random multiple-scattering two-dimensional (2D) medium. For normal incidence and scattering, a 2D medium is found to be fully described by two material parameters, one of which is complex. Simple formulae are developed for these parameters in terms of the anisotropy of the medium and the scattering mean free path. General theoretical expressions are given for polarized and unpolarized correlation functions and also for the intensity statistics of the scattered light for arbitrary input polarization states. Experimental data are presented for both types of correlation function and for the intensity statistics, and are found to be in reasonably good agreement with the theory.     

Statistical temporal behaviour of pulse wave propagation through continuous random media

Pulse waves propagating through random media suffer distortions, such as fluctuation of arrival time, temporal broadening, and alteration of skewness and kurtosis, due to both the background medium and embedded irregularities. We carry out a study on the temporal behaviour of electromagnetic pulses propagating through random media using temporal moments and an analytic solution of a two-frequency mutual coherence function recently obtained by iteration. We treat the temporal characteristics sequentially, with general expressions obtained first. Then the concise forms are given for pulse propagation in the turbulent non-dispersive atmosphere and the ionosphere, with numerical calculations for the latter. The results show that the mean arrival time is dominated by the term propagating at group velocity, and small corrections arise from higher-order dispersion of the background medium and random scattering of irregularities, but the correction from dispersion of irregularities is neglected as it is so small. As for pulse broadening in trans-ionospheric propagation, the results show that contributions are mainly from the dispersion of the background ionosphere and scattering of electron density irregularities in most cases, and the contribution of dispersion of irregularities is so small that it can be neglected. Finally, we find that the temporal skewness of a trans-ionospheric pulse is negative and its energy is shifted to the leading edge, and the contributions from scattering and dispersion of irregularities dominate over those of background, so the latter can be neglected in most cases.     

A reformulation of the one-dimensional surface field integral equations

By starting from the matrix forms of the two coupled, inhomogeneous integral equations for the values of the magnetic field and its normal derivative on a one-dimensional, rough metal surface, or for the values of the electric field and its normal derivative on such a surface, we have obtained an equivalent pair of equations for these quantities in which the inhomogeneous terms are just the Kirchhoff approximations to them. The new pair of equations for the surface values of the magnetic field and its normal derivative is solved iteratively to generate a multiple-scattering expansion for the scattering amplitude when p-polarized light is scattered from a large RMS height, large RMS slope, one-dimensional, random silver surface, with the plane of incidence perpendicular to the generators of the surface. It is shown that the Kirchhoff approximation to the contribution to the mean differential reflection coefficient from the incoherent component of the scattered light displays no evidence of enhanced backscattering. However, the pure double-scattering contribution already displays this effect, stamping it as a multiple-scattering phenomenon.     

Effect of the illumination region of targets on waves scattering in random media with H-polarization

This paper addresses some parameters that have a significant effect on wave scattering in random media. These parameters are: target configuration, including size and curvature; random media strength, represented in the spatial coherence length; and incident wave polarization. Here, I present numerical calculations for the radar cross-section (RCS) of conducting targets and analyze the backscattering enhancement with different configurations. I postulate a concave illumination region and consider targets taking large sizes of about five wavelengths. In this aspect, waves scattering from targets are assumed to propagate in free space and a random medium with H-polarization. This polarization produces what is well known as creeping waves which in turn have an additional effect on the scattering waves that is absent in the case of E-polarization.     

Diffuse waves in a random medium layer with rough boundaries

The problem of scattering from a random medium layer with rough boundaries is formulated as an integral equation in which the random fluctuations are represented as a zero-mean random operator. The analysis for the diffuse fields is based on the ladder-approximated Bethe-Salpeter equation. An integral equation for the diffuse intensities thus derived displays the various multiple-scattering processes involved in our problem. Transport equations are also derived and several special cases are considered to illustrate the characteristics of the results and to compare them with those in the literature.     

A reformulation of the one-dimensional surface field integral equations

Abstract

By starting from the matrix forms of the two coupled, inhomogeneous integral equations for the values of the magnetic field and its normal derivative on a one-dimensional, rough metal surface, or for the values of the electric field and its normal derivative on such a surface, we have obtained an equivalent pair of equations for these quantities in which the inhomogeneous terms are just the Kirchhoff approximations to them. The new pair of equations for the surface values of the magnetic field and its normal derivative is solved iteratively to generate a multiple-scattering expansion for the scattering amplitude when p-polarized light is scattered from a large RMS height, large RMS slope, one-dimensional, random silver surface, with the plane of incidence perpendicular to the generators of the surface. It is shown that the Kirchhoff approximation to the contribution to the mean differential reflection coefficient from the incoherent component of the scattered light displays no evidence of enhanced backscattering. However, the pure double-scattering contribution already displays this effect, stamping it as a multiple-scattering phenomenon.     

Theoretical and experimental study of blurring of a femtosecond laser pulse in a turbid medium

We propose an analytical model of the spatio-temporal structure of a short laser pulse transmitted through a layer of an optically inhomogeneous medium with high anisotropy of scattering. The light-field brightness in the medium is represented as a finite series in terms of multiplicities of the small-angle scattering, while the contribution from the higher-order scattering is allowed for as a quasi-diffuse component. The scattered-pulse structure is calculated on the basis of solving the radiative-transfer equation in the small-angle approximation with allowance for the effect of multipath light propagation. Compared with the first approximation of the multiple-scattering theory (attenuated nonscattered light plus the diffuse component), this approach makes it possible to describe more correctly the transformation of the spatio-angular distribution of light in the medium when passing from the single-scattering to multiple-scattering regime, as well as specify the temporal profile of the scattered pulse. The temporal profile of the femtosecond pulse transmitted through a layer of model scattering medium with various concentrations of scatterers is studied experimentally. The blurred-pulse structure is studied with the help of nonlinear optical gating in the case of noncollinear generation of the second harmonic. Good agreement between the theoretical and experimental time profiles of the scattered pulse is shown for the optical-thickness intervals corresponding to both the predominantly low multiplicity scattering and multiple small-angle scattering, which allows us to use the proposed analytical model for solving the inverse problem of the pulse sounding of a homogeneous turbid medium. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 333–348, April 2008.     

Transmission of waves by a nonlinear random medium

We study analytically and numerically the effect of nonlinearity on transmission of waves through a random medium. We introduce and analyze quantities associated with the scattering problem that clarify the lack of uniqueness due to the nonlinearity as well as the localization of waves due to the random inhomogeneities. We show that nonlinearity tends to delocalize the waves and that for very large scattering regions the average transmitted energy is small.     

Diffuse waves in a random medium layer with rough boundaries

Abstract

The problem of scattering from a random medium layer with rough boundaries is formulated as an integral equation in which the random fluctuations are represented as a zero-mean random operator. The analysis for the diffuse fields is based on the ladder-approximated Bethe–Salpeter equation. An integral equation for the diffuse intensities thus derived displays the various multiple-scattering processes involved in our problem. Transport equations are also derived and several special cases are considered to illustrate the characteristics of the results and to compare them with those in the literature.     

随机介质中的矢量辐射传输理论

本文讨论了极化电磁波在随机介质中多次散射,传输和热辐射的斯托克斯矢量的辐射传输理论。其中包括随机分布离散的球形和非球形粒子的矢量辐射传输方程,离散坐标-特征分析法,付利叶变换,迭代法等数值解。讨论了非球形粒子的穆勒矩阵。并研究了密集分布的散射粒子介质的辐射传输理论,考虑了密集粒子散射的相干性,计算了有效传播常数。理论及数值结果与实验作了很好的比较。     

Spatially ordered arrays of magnetic nanowires: Polarized-neutron scattering investigation

The structure and magnetic properties of magnetically ordered arrays of magnetic nanowires formed on the basis of porous aluminum oxide films have been investigated by the small-angle polarized-neutron scattering method. Small-angle scattering intensity patterns exhibit several diffraction maxima (up to the third reflection order), which correspond to scattering from the highly ordered porous structure of the matrix and on the hexagonal packing of magnetic nanowires. The observed reflections are imposed on noticeable diffuse scattering associated with the defects of the structure. A theoretical solution is obtained for describing neutron diffraction in the dynamical limit on the superstructure of magnetic nanowires incorporated into the diamagnetic matrix. Several contributions to scattering that have been analyzed are the nonmagnetic (nuclear) contribution, the magnetic contribution depending on a magnetic field, and the nuclear-magnetic interference indicating the correlation between the magnetic and nuclear structures. A detailed pattern of the remagnetization of an ordered array of the magnetic nanowires has been obtained and it has been shown that polarized neutron scattering provides information inaccessible by the standard magnetometric methods.     

Direct and inverse scattering of transient acoustic waves by a slab of rigid porous material

This paper provides a temporal model of the direct and inverse scattering problem for the propagation of transient ultrasonic waves in a homogeneous isotropic slab of porous material having a rigid frame. This new time domain model of wave propagation takes into account the viscous and thermal losses of the medium as described by the model of Johnson et al. [D. L. Johnson, J. Koplik, and R. Dashen, J. Fluid. Mech. 176, 379 (1987)] and Allard [J. F. Allard (Chapman and Hall, London, 1993)] modified by a fractional calculus based method applied in the time domain. This paper is devoted to the analytical calculus of acoustic field in a slab of porous material. The main result is the derivation of the expression of the scattering operators (reflection and transmission) which are the responses of the medium to an incident acoustic pulse. In this model the reflection operator is the sum of two contributions: the first interface and the bulk of the medium. Experimental and numerical results are given as a validation of our model.     

Effect of double nuclear scattering on nuclear-magnetic interference in experiment with small-angle diffraction of polarized neutrons

An experiment on small-angle polarized-neutron diffraction by a two-dimensional spatially ordered array of nickel nanowires embedded in a porous anodic alumina matrix is discussed. The contributions of nonmagnetic (nuclear) structures and nuclear magnetic interference indicating the correlation between magnetic and nuclear structures are discussed. Magnetic scattering is two orders of magnitude smaller than nuclear scattering and, hence, turns out to be weakly distinguishable. The ordered magnetic composite nanostructure of a sample leads to strong interaction between the neutron wave and the structure itself, which, in turn, implies a twofold (miltiple scattering) nuclear scattering process. Nuclear magnetic interference scattering must be analyzed allowing for twofold scattering conditions, which substantially distorts the intensity distribution of the interference contribution of first-order diffraction peaks.