Simplified estimation of anisotropic non-homogeneous extinction coefficients in porous solids considering spherical and cylindrical pore networks

Abstract

Abstract This manuscript presents a simplified analysis for estimating anisotropic, non-homogeneous extinction coefficients in porous solids as a function of the pore morphology and size distribution. The model contains two main simplifications: (1) the pore network consists of hollow interspersed spheres and cylinders, and (2) each surface exchanges radiation (through diffuse emission) only with itself and adjacent surfaces. The model yields photon flight length (PFL) probability distribution functions (PDFs), describing Beerian and non-Beerian anisotropic extinction processes. The method is three orders of magnitude faster than the Monte Carlo Ray Tracing Method (MCRT), yielding Root Mean Square Errors between 0 and 35% for the PFL–PDFs and 0–25% for the anisotropic extinction coefficients. Finally, this work presents a local geometric criterium determining whether the model applies to some given area of the porous solid, so it remains useful even when not applicable to the whole domain.