Scattering Phase Function Research Articles

A Novel Image Formation Model for Descattering.

In the field of image descattering, the image formation models employed for restoration approaches are often simplified. In these models, scattering distribution is uniform in homogeneous media when transmission is fixed. Through specifically designed experiments, we discover that scattering exhibits non-uniform characteristics even in homogeneous media. Neglecting non-uniform scattering in these models limits their accuracy in representing scattering distribution, resulting in existing image descattering approaches inadequate. To tackle these issues, this paper proposes a novel image formation model for image descattering, considering more physical parameters, such as zenith angle, azimuth angle, scattering phase function, and camera focal length. Our model describes the light transfer process in scattering media more accurately. For image descattering, we introduce corresponding algorithms for parameter estimation in our model and simultaneous restoration from degraded images. Experimental evaluations demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed model in various tasks, including physical parameter estimation, pure-scattering removal, image dehazing, and underwater image restoration. In terms of calculating parameters, our results are close to the real values; in terms of underwater image restoration, our work outperforms the state-of-art methods; in terms of image dehazing, our work promotes the performance of existing methods by replacing previous models with our model.

Improved calculation of single-scattering properties of frozen droplets and frozen-droplet aggregates observed in deep convective clouds

Abstract. During multiple field campaigns, small quasi-spherical ice crystals, commonly referred to as frozen droplets (FDs), and their aggregates (frozen-droplet aggregates, FDAs) have been identified as the predominant habits in the upper regions of deep convective clouds (DCCs) and their associated anvils. These findings highlight the significance of FDs and FDAs for understanding the microphysics and radiative properties of DCCs. Despite the prevalence of FDs and FDAs at the tops of DCCs where they directly contribute to cloud radiative effect, the detailed single-scattering properties (e.g., scattering-phase function P11 and asymmetry parameter g) of FDs and FDAs remain highly uncertain. This uncertainty is mainly due to insufficient in situ measurements and the resolution of cloud probes, which hinder the development of idealized shape models for FDs and FDAs. In this study, two shape models, the Gaussian random sphere (GS) and droxtal (DX), are proposed as possible representations for the shapes of FDs and FDAs measured in situ. A total of 120 individual models of GSs and 129 models of DXs were generated by varying their shapes. Furthermore, by attaching these individual models in both a homogeneous and heterogeneous manner, three different types and a total of 404 models of FDAs were created: (1) aggregates of GSs; (2) aggregates of DXs; and (3) combinations of GSs and DXs, which are called habit mixtures (HMs). The P11 and g values of the developed models were calculated using a geometric optics method at a wavelength of 0.80 µm and then compared with those obtained using a polar nephelometer (PN) during the CIRCLE-2 field campaign to assess the models. Both individual-component ice crystals (i.e., either GS or DX) and homogeneous-component aggregates (i.e., either aggregates of GSs or aggregates of DXs) showed substantial differences compared with the PN measurements, whereas the P11 of the HMs was found to most accurately match the P11 measured in situ, reducing the differences to +0.87 %, +0.88 %, and −5.37 % in the forward-, lateral-, and backward-scattering regions, respectively. The g value of the HMs was found to be 0.80, which falls within the range of the PN measurement (0.78 ± 0.04). The root-mean-square error for the HM was minimized to a value of 0.0427. It was shown that the novel HMs developed in this study demonstrated better performance than in previous research where HMs were developed indirectly by weighting the calculated P11 of shape models to interpret in situ measurement. The results of this study suggest potential implications for enhancing the calculation of single-scattering properties of ice crystals in DCCs.

Auto Aligning, Error-Compensated Broadband Collimated Transmission Spectroscopy.

Broadband spectral measurements of the ballistic transmission of scattering samples are challenging. The presented work shows an approach that includes a broadband system and an automated adjustment unit for compensation of angular distortions caused by non-plane-parallel samples. The limits of the system in terms of optimal transmission and detected forward scattering influenced by the scattering phase function are investigated. We built and validated a setup that measures the collimated transmission signal in a spectral range from 300 nm to 2150 nm. The system was validated using polystyrene spheres and Mie calculations. The limits of the system in terms of optimal transmission and detected forward scattering were researched. The optimal working parameters of the system, analyzed by simulations using the Monte Carlo method, show that the transmission should be larger than 10% and less than 90% to allow for a reliable measurement with acceptable errors caused by noise and systematic errors of the system. The optimal transmission range is between 25% and 50%. We show that the phase function is important when considering the accuracy of the measurement. For strongly forward-scattering samples, errors of up to 80% can be observed, even for a very small numerical aperture of 6.6·10-4, as used in our experimental system. We also show that errors increase with optical thickness as the ballistic transmission decreases and the multiscattered fraction increases. In addition, errors caused by multiple reflections in the sample layer were analyzed and also classified as relevant for classical absorption spectroscopy.

Quantitative estimation of optical properties in bilayer media within the subdiffusive regime using a tilted fiber-optic probe in diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, part 1: a theoretical framework for designing probe geometry.

As biological tissues are highly heterogeneous, there is a great interest in developing non-invasive optical approaches capable of characterizing them in a very localized manner. Obtaining accurate absolute values of the local optical properties from the measured reflectance requires finding a probe geometry, which allows us to solve this inverse problem robustly and reliably despite neglecting the higher-order moments of the scattering phase function. Our goal is to develop a theoretical framework for designing tilted-fiber diffuse reflectance probes that allow quantitative estimation of the optical properties corresponding to limited tissue volume (typically a few cubic millimeters). Relationships among probe geometry, sampled tissue volume, and robustness of the inverse solver to calculate optical properties from reflectance are studied using Monte Carlo simulations. The analysis of the number of scattering events of the collected photons leads to the establishment of relationships among the probe geometry, the sampled tissue volume, and the validity of a subdiffusive regime for the reflectance. A methodology is proposed for the design of new compact probes with tilted fiber geometry that can quantitatively estimate the values of the optical coefficients in a localized manner within living biological tissues by recording diffuse reflectance spectra.

Investigating the radiative properties of large dust aggregate particles via the Monte Carlo ray tracing method

Understanding the radiative properties of particles is essential for interpreting and analyzing atmospheric remote sensing, target detection, combustion diagnostics, etc. At present, there is a relative lack of studies and understanding of the radiative properties of large aggregate particles. In this work, we comprehensively investigate the radiative properties of large dust aggregate particles via the developed Monte Carlo ray tracing method. Large dust aggregate models with monodisperse and polydisperse monomers are constructed, respectively. The effects of various factors on the radiative properties of large dust aggregate particles are analyzed. We find that the larger geometric standard deviation and the greater number of monomers lead to slightly larger backscattering and an increase of the overall radiative energy distribution on the receiving surface. With increasing the size parameter, the scattering phase function becomes smoother and the difference between the scattering phase function of spheres and aggregates diminishes. The absorptivity is proportional to the size parameter and inversely proportional to the number of monomers. At a size parameter of 100, the absorptivity and the peak of the radiative energy distribution of monodisperse monomer aggregates are higher than those of polydisperse monomer aggregates, and gradually converge with the increase of particle size parameter. Overall, this work helps to enhance the knowledge of the radiative properties of large aggregate particles.

The Influence of Different Phase Function Combinations on Communication Quality in NLOS Communication Model

Wireless ultraviolet communication is a new type of communication technology, which uses the atmosphere as the transmission medium, and uses the scattering effect of atmospheric molecules and aerosol particles to change the propagation direction of the optical signal carrying information, bypass the blocking obstacles and finally reach the receiving end. The study of the scattering characteristics of ultraviolet light requires the use of scattering phase function. The scattering phase function is the ratio of the scattering energy in the unit solid angle in a specific direction to the average scattering energy in all directions. The scattering of ultraviolet light by the atmosphere is usually divided into two cases : Rayleigh scattering and Mie scattering. Therefore, the scattering phase function is also divided into two cases : Rayleigh scattering phase function and Mie scattering phase function. The scattering phase function in this paper is obtained by the weighted average of the two. There are many empirical formulas for Rayleigh scattering phase function and Mie scattering phase function. In this paper, the ultraviolet light of 266 nm wavelength is taken as an example to simulate and analyze the variation trend of scattering coefficient with wavelength and visibility, and the influence of the combination of different scattering phase functions on the received light power per unit area in the process of ultraviolet atmospheric transmission.

Impact of scattering phase function and polarization on the accuracy of diffuse and sub-diffuse spatial frequency domain imaging.

Although spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) has been well characterized under diffuse optical conditions, tissue measurements made outside the diffuse regime can provide new diagnostic information. Before such measurements can become clinically relevant, however, the behavior of sub-diffuse SFDI and its effect on the accuracy of derived tissue parameters must be assessed. We aim to characterize the impact that both the assumed scattering phase function (SPF) and the polarization state of the illumination light source have on the accuracy of SFDI-derived optical properties when operating under diffuse or sub-diffuse conditions, respectively. Through the use of a set of well-characterized optical phantoms, SFDI accuracy was assessed at four wavelengths (395, 545, 625, and 850nm) and two different spatial frequencies (0.3 and ), which provided a broad range of diffuse and sub-diffuse conditions, using three different SPFs. To determine the effects of polarization, the SFDI accuracy was assessed using both unpolarized and cross-polarized illumination. It was found that the assumed SPF has a direct and significant impact on the accuracy of the SFDI-derived optical properties, with the best choice of SPF being dictated by the polarization state. As unpolarized SFDI retains the sub-diffuse portion of the signal, optical properties were found to be more accurate when using the full SPF that includes forward and backscattering components. By contrast, cross-polarized SFDI yielded accurate optical properties when using a forward-scattering SPF, matching the behavior of cross-polarization to attenuate the immediate backscattering of sub-diffuse reflectance. Using the correct pairings of SPF and polarization enabled using a reflectance standard, instead of a more subjective phantom, as the reference measurement. These results provide the foundation for a more thorough understanding of SFDI and enable new applications of this technology in which sub-diffuse conditions dominate (e.g., ) or high spatial frequencies are required.

In silico full-angle high-dynamic range scattering of microscopic objects exploiting holotomography.

Accurate optical characterization of microscopic objects is crucial in academic research, product development, and clinical diagnosis. We present a method for obtaining full and high-dynamic range, angle-resolved light scattering attributes of microparticles, enabling distinction of variations in both overall morphology and detailed internal structures. This method overcomes previous limitations in observable scattering angles and dynamic range of signals through computationally assisted three-dimensional holotomography. This advancement is significant for particles spanning tens of wavelengths, such as human erythrocytes, which have historically posed measurement challenges due to faint side-scattering signals indicative of their complex interiors. Our technique addresses three key challenges in optical side-scattering analysis: limited observational angular range, reliance on simplified computational models, and low signal-to-noise ratios in both experimental and computational evaluations. We incorporate three-dimensional tomographic complex refractive index data from Fourier-transform light scattering into a tailored finite-difference time-domain simulation space. This approach facilitates precise near-to-far-field transformations. The process yields complete full-angle scattering phase functions, crucial for particles like Plasmodium falciparum-parasitized erythrocytes, predominantly involved in forward scattering. The resultant scattering data exhibit an extreme dynamic range exceeding 100 dB at various incident angles of a He-Ne laser. These findings have the potential to develop point-of-care, cost-effective, and rapid malaria diagnostic tools, inspiring further clinical and research applications in microparticle scattering.

Multiband polarimetric imaging of HD 34700 with SCExAO/CHARIS

Abstract We present Subaru/SCExAO + CHARIS broadband (JHK) integral field spectroscopy of HD 34700 A in polarized light. CHARIS has the unique ability to obtain polarized integral field images at 22 wavelength channels in broadband, as the incoming light is first split into different polarization states before passing though the lenslet array. We recover the transition disk around HD 34700 A in multiband polarized light in our data. We combine our polarized intensity data with previous total intensity data to examine the scattering profiles, scattering phase functions and polarized fraction of the disk at multiple wavelengths. We also carry out 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations of the disk using MCFOST, and make qualitative comparisons between our models and data to constrain dust grain properties. We find that in addition to micron-sized dust grains, a population of sub-micron grains is needed to match the surface brightness in polarized light and polarized fraction. This could indicate the existence of a population of small grains in the disk, or it could be caused by Mie theory simulations using additional small grains to compensate for sub-micron structures of real dust aggregates. We find models that match the polarized fraction of the data but the models do not apply strong constraints on the dust grain type or compositions. We find no models that can match all observed properties of the disk. More detailed modeling using realistic dust aggregates with irregular surfaces and complex structures is required to further constrain the dust properties.

Impact of Multi-Scattered LiDAR Returns in Fog.

In the context of autonomous driving, the augmentation of existing data through simulations provides an elegant solution to the challenge of capturing the full range of adverse weather conditions in training datasets. However, existing physics-based augmentation models typically rely on single scattering approximations to predict light propagation under unfavorable conditions, such as fog. This can prevent the reproduction of important signal characteristics encountered in a real-world environment. Consequently, in this work, Monte Carlo simulations are employed to assess the relevance of multiple-scattered light to the detected LiDAR signal in different types of fog, with scattering phase functions calculated from Mie theory considering real particle size distributions. Bidirectional path tracing is used within the self-developed GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo software to compensate for the unfavorable photon statistics associated with the limited detection aperture of the LiDAR geometry. To validate the Monte Carlo software, an analytical solution of the radiative transfer equation for the time-resolved radiance in terms of scattering orders is derived, thereby providing an explicit representation of the double-scattered contributions. The results of the simulations demonstrate that the shape of the detected signal can be significantly impacted by multiple-scattered light, depending on LiDAR geometry and visibility. In particular, double-scattered light can dominate the overall signal at low visibilities. This indicates that considering higher scattering orders is essential for improving AI-based perception models.

Polarization characterization of a nonspherical sea salt aerosol model

The T-matrix method was utilized to study the polarization characteristics of nonspherical sea salt aerosol models within the wavelength range of 0.48–2.5 µm. Analysis was conducted on the polarization characteristics of nonspherical sea salt aerosols across different wavelengths as a function of scattering angle. This included scrutinizing linear depolarization ratios under typical visible and near-infrared wavelengths for various aspect ratios. The impact of particle nonsphericity on the linear depolarization ratios of monodisperse and polydisperse sea salt aerosol particles was examined. The results indicate: (1) In the analysis of the polarization characteristics of sea salt aerosols, the trends of polarization properties are similar between monodisperse and polydisperse systems. The scattering phase function P11(θ) is predominantly more significant in the forward-scattering direction. P11(θ) is insensitive to wavelength changes in the backward-scattering direction. P33(θ)/P11(θ) varies across different bands; in the visible light spectrum, there are significant fluctuating changes, while in the infrared spectrum, it trends towards nearly linear changes. The variation trends of −P12(θ)/P11(θ) and P34(θ)/P11(θ) with scattering angle are similar, and both are significantly affected by changes in wavelength. (2) Regarding the depolarization ratio of sea salt aerosols, the value for polydisperse systems is more than twice that of monodisperse systems, and the greater the nonsphericity, the higher the linear depolarization ratio. In monodisperse systems, at a wavelength of 0.633 µm for visible light and an aspect ratio of 0.4, the maximum depolarization ratio is around 118.82, while at 1.65 µm in the near-infrared, with an aspect ratio of 0.2, the maximum depolarization ratio is near 97.52; under polydisperse conditions, at 0.633 µm for visible light and an aspect ratio of 0.4, the maximum depolarization ratio is around 117.18, while at 1.65 µm in the near-infrared, with an aspect ratio of 0.2, the maximum linear depolarization ratio is near 215.66. Investigating the polarization characteristics and linear depolarization ratios of nonspherical spheroid sea salt aerosol particle models at all scattering angles is important for remote-sensing detection, high-precision calibration, and other optoelectronic applications.

The radiative properties in the near-infrared band of crude oil emulsion dispersed in the seawater

The complex refractive index and radiative properties of crude oils are essential parameters for remote sensing, which is paramount for accurately and quantitatively detecting marine oil spills. In this study, the complex refractive index in the near-infrared band of crude oil from Daqing Oilfield is measured by the combined transmission - KK transformation method, and the absorption spectral features are analyzed. A modified-Mie method is employed to calculate the radiative properties of crude oil droplets immersed in an absorbing medium, and the impact of medium absorption is examined. Furthermore, the spectral absorption/scattering coefficient and scattering phase function of the oil-in-water (OW) emulsion dispersed in seawater are calculated, and the corresponding correlations between the radiative properties and chemical compositions of the crude oil are analyzed. The research reveals that the differences in the components of crude oil and seawater result in variations in the absorption peaks/troughs in their absorption spectra curve, which subsequently cause a gradual increase/decrease in absorption and scattering coefficients as the volume fraction of emulsion increases. The quantitative correlations of the absorption/scattering coefficient with the volume fraction of OW emulsion are presented, which are significant for improving the quantification monitoring of emulsified oil spills and identifying different types of pollutants.

Phase angle dependence of the dust cross section in a cometary coma

Context. Rosetta/OSIRIS took optical measurements of the intensity of scattered light from the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko over a wide range of phase angles. These data have been used to measure the phase angle dependent radiance profile of the dust coma. Aims. We want to provide information about the column area densities of the dust coma as seen from Rosetta. This information in combination with the measured OSIRIS phase function can then be used to determine the scattering phase function of the dust particles. Methods. We use a simple numerical model to calculate the dust density in the coma. For this we neglect all forces but solar gravitation and radiation pressure. As this cannot describe particles close to the surface of the comet, we assume starting conditions at a sufficient distance. We evaluate the column area density as observed from Rosetta/OSIRIS and compare the results for different spacecraft positions, dust sizes and surface activity distributions. Results. We find the phase angle dependence of the column area density to be largely independent of particle size and spacecraft positions. The determining factor is the activity distribution across the surface, especially the activity on the night side. For models with no night side activity, we find the column area density at high phase angles to be roughly two orders of magnitude larger than at low phase angles. Conclusions. The radiance profile measured from inside a cometary coma results from the combined effects of a phase angle dependent column area density and the scattering phase function. The radiance profile is therefore strongly dependent on the surface activity distribution, and - unless the dust emission is isotropic - any attempt to infer particle properties (as expressed through the scattering phase function) from such data must take into account and de-bias for this spatial variation of the dust column area density.

Analytical propagation model for underwater free-space optical communication through realistic levels of oceanic absorption and scattering

Optical communications (OC) through water bodies is an attractive technology for a variety of applications. Thanks to current single-photon detection capabilities, OC receiver systems can reliably decode very weak transmitted signals. This is the regime where pulse position modulation is an ideal scheme. However, there has to be at least one photon that goes through the pupil of the fore optics and lands in the assigned time bin. We estimate the detectable photon budget as a function of range for propagation through ocean water, both open and coastal. We make realistic assumptions about the water’s inherent optical properties, specifically, absorption and scattering coefficients, as well as the strong directionality of the scattering phase function for typical hydrosol populations. We adopt an analytical (hence very fast) path-integral small-angle solution of the radiative transfer equation for multiple forward-peaked scattering across intermediate to large optical distances. Integrals are performed both along the directly transmitted beam (whether or not it is still populated) and radially away from it. We use this modeling framework to estimate transmission of a 1 J pulse of 532 nm light through open ocean and coastal waters. Thresholds for single-photon detection per time bin are a few km and a few 100 m. These are indicative estimates that will be reduced in practice due to sensor noise, background light, turbulence, bubbles, and so on, to be included in future work.

Absorption of collimated incident radiation in a semitransparent strongly scattering medium: Computational analysis and explanation of red algae blooming in snow

The study of directional radiation absorption in weakly absorbing and strongly scattering media is of interest for a variety of important applications, including laser hyperthermia of human tumors in a therapeutic window of transparency, determination of the optical and thermal properties of highly porous ceramics, and calculations of the deep solar heating of snow cover in polar regions and mountains. In such problems, multiple scattering of radiation can lead to a non-monotonic variation of the absorbed radiation power with distance from the illuminated surface of the medium and to the appearance of the absorption maximum at some depth below the surface. This effect has a known physical explanation and can be predicted using the suggested analytical solution based on the transport approximation for the scattering phase function and the two-flux approximation for the diffuse component of the radiation intensity. The range of illumination angles at which the absorption maximum inside an optically thick medium is observed is determined. The position and magnitude of this maximum are also obtained. In the present work, the verification of this approximate solution using reference numerical calculations is carried out for the first time. It is shown that the simple analytical model is acceptable for regular calculations. Computational results for pure snow illuminated by the Sun showed that red light gives the strongest absorption maximum at a small distance from the snow surface. This is a basis of the presented physical explanation for the intense photosynthesis of red microalgae responsible for the well-known ``snow blood'' phenomenon.

Extending UWOC System Applications through Photon Transmission Dynamics Study in Harbor Waters

Underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) in harbor waters can facilitate real-time monitoring underwater instruments for environmental monitoring, underwater inspection, and maintenance tasks. This study delves into the complex dynamics of UWOC in four distinct harbor waters. The research employs Monte Carlo method incorporated with Fournier–Forand scattering phase function for simulating photon transmission. Key parameters such as the Transmitted full divergence angle, received aperture, and Field of View (FOV) are meticulously evaluated for their impact on power loss and time delay spread. Notably, the normalized power loss and time delay spread are found to be more significantly affected by communication distance than water quality, and the traditional Beer–Lambert law is ineffective in harbor water. The power loss of Harbor II, III, and IV are found to be 14.00 dB, 31.59 dB, and 41.59 dB lower than that of Harbor I, and the time delay spread of Harbor II, III, and IV is 30.56%, 9.67%, and 0.49% times that of the Harbor I under certain conditions. In addition, increasing the received aperture and FOV, particularly over longer distance, make little contribution to reduce the power loss and mitigate the time delay spread. Based on the fixed transmitted full divergence angle, the most applicable received FOV range is 1–3.2 rad, and the most ideal received aperture is 0.15–0.4 m. Under these conditions, the variation in normalized power loss is less than 2 dB. Additionally, the time delay spread remains within the same order of magnitude with the attenuation length (AL) held constant. These conclusions hold substantial technical relevance for the engineering design of UWOC systems in harbor waters.

Computational modeling of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cellular radiation properties with synergistic consideration of complex structures and compositions.

The radiation characteristics of microalgae are of great significance for the design of photobioreactors and ocean optical remote sensing. Yet the complex structure of microalgae makes it difficult to theoretically predict its radiation characteristics based on traditional Mie theory. In this work, taking Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an example, a multi-component cell model with a complex structure is proposed, which considers the organelles and shape of microalgae, and the volume change during the production of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii lipids. The theoretical calculation is carried out using the discrete dipole approximation method, and an improved transmission method is used for experimental measurement. The experimental data are compared and analyzed with the multi-component complex structure model, the homogeneous sphere model and the coated sphere model. The results show that the calculation accuracy of the multi-component complex structure model is higher, the error of the scattering cross-section is reduced by more than 8.6% compared with the homogeneous sphere model and coated sphere model, and the absorption cross-section and the scattering phase function are in good agreement with the experimental results. With the increase of lipids, the absorption cross-section and the scattering phase function vary slightly. However, the scattering cross-section has an observed change with increasing wavelength. In addition, the theoretical calculation error can be reduced when the influence of the culture medium is taken into account.

Theoretical and experimental study on the radiative properties of Parachlorella kessleri: considering the effect of internal microstructure.

A microalgal cell model with multiple organelles considering both the irregular overall shape and internal microstructure was proposed. The radiative properties of Parachlorella kessleri during the normal phase, starch-rich phase, and lipid-rich phase were calculated by the discrete dipole approximation method in the visible wavelengths. The accuracy of the model is verified with experimental measurements. The results showed that the theoretical calculation of the established microalgal cell model is more accurate than those of the equal volume spheres, such as the homogeneous sphere and the coated sphere, with the errors of the scattering cross-section reduced by more than 10.7%. The calculated scattering phase function of the multi-component model is basically in good agreement with the experimental results. Compared to the normal growth phase, the lipid enrichment during the lipid-rich phase leads to a sharp increase in the scattering cross-section by three to four times, while the absorption cross-section remains stable. Remarkably, in the starch-rich phase, the abundant production of starch results in a reduction of two to three times in the absorption cross-section compared to the normal growth phase, while the scattering cross-section varies little. The results can provide basic data and theoretical support for the design and optimization of photobioreactors.

A uniform analysis of debris discs with the Gemini Planet Imager II: constraints on dust density distribution using empirically informed scattering phase functions

ABSTRACT Spatially resolved images of debris discs are necessary to determine disc morphological properties and the scattering phase function (SPF) thatantifies the brightness of scattered light as a function of phase angle. Current high-contrast imaging instruments have successfully resolved several dozens of debris discs around other stars, but few studies have investigated trends in the scattered-light, resolved population of debris discs in a uniform and consistent manner. We have combined Karhunen-Loeve Image Projection (KLIP) with radiative-transfer disc forward modelling in order to obtain the highest-quality image reductions and constrain disc morphological properties of eight debris discs imaged by the Gemini Planet Imager at H-band with a consistent and uniformly applied approach. In describing the scattering properties of our models, we assume a common SPF informed from solar system dust scattering measurements and apply it to all systems. We identify a diverse range of dust density properties among the sample, including critical radius, radial width, and vertical width. We also identify radially narrow and vertically extended discs that may have resulted from substellar companion perturbations, along with a tentative positive trend in disc eccentricity with relative disc width. We also find that using a common SPF can achieve reasonable model fits for discs that are axisymmetric and asymmetric when fitting models to each side of the disc independently, suggesting that scattering behaviour from debris discs may be similar to Solar system dust.

Enhancing Our Vision of Aerosols: Progress in Scattering Phase Function Measurements

Enhancing Our Vision of Aerosols: Progress in Scattering Phase Function Measurements