Computation for angular distribution of scattered light on a coated bubble in water

Abstract

The bubbles in sea water are mostly coated with a layer of oil, of which the effect on scattered light has usually been ignored in previous studies. This paper aims to propose an equation of scattering intensity by coated bubbles in water, based on geometrical optics theories. During the research, a PC was used to generate a two-dimensional curve that models the angular distribution of scattered intensity, namely the volume scattering function (VSF), by a coated bubble with a diameter larger than 200 μm. The curve reveals the far-field characteristics of light scattered by the coated bubble, as well as the refractive rays that have the main influence on the scattering intensity. It is seen from the simulation results that the scattering intensity distribution of an uncoated bubble and a coated bubble are very similar. But the oil layer weakens the forward scattering effect of the coated bubble while it strengthens the backward scattering effect.