Asymptotic Values of Some Scattering Parameters from Mie Theory

Abstract

The scattering parameters such as extinction efficiency, albedo, asymmetry parameter, etc, have been studied on the basis of the Mie theory of scattering of electromagnetic radiation by a sphere as well as the classical geometrical optics and diffraction (GOD). The spheres are assumed to be composed of water- or ice-like dielectric and absorbing materials with index of refraction, m = m/sup1/ -im/sup11/; m/sup1/ = 1.33 or 1.333 amd m/sup11/ = 0, 0.0033, 0.1, 0.33 or 3.3. The minimum value of the size-to-wavelength parameter (the circumference of the sphere divided by the wavelength) has been estimated for each scattering parameter so that the asymptotic value obtained from Mie theory calculations agree, at moderate accuracy, with the corresponding result based on GOD