Superposition rule for light scattering by a composite particle

A superposition rule for light scattering by composite particles is presented that expresses the scattering amplitude of a composite particle as a superposition of that of the host particle and those of the shadowed inclusions. The superposition rule is derived for a soft composite particle but also provides insight into light scattering by a general composite scatterer. Favorable comparison with an exact numerical method demonstrates the usefulness of the rule in analyzing light scattering by composite particles such as biological cells.