Asymptotic radiation in a scattering and absorbing medium

Abstract

For a scattering medium with a known size distribution of spherical particles and a variable absorption, we use Mie theory and radiative transfer theory to compute, exactly, the radiation field at great depths. The results are compared with laboratory measurements and give a quite good agreement. It is partly possible to solve the inverse problem and to obtain some indication of the phase functions of the particles from the radiation measurements. A more accurate study includes polarization of the radiation. The theory is developed using the Kuščer matrix formalism and the appropriate expansions in series of Mie functions are obtained.