Tensor Expansions of the Angular Particle Distribution

Abstract

We establish a relation between the class of symmetric spherical tensors and even/odd polynomials. The expansions of the scattering operator of photons or neutrons in a series of symmetric spherical tensors are obtained. Among them are expansions that have a higher rate of uniform convergence in comparison with expansions in spherical functions and Legendre polynomials. It is shown that, in problems of radiation transport in a substance with predominant forward or backward scattering, it is advisable to use expansions in the system of Chebyshev polynomials and tensors.