We report Q-space analysis of light scattering phase function data for irregularly shaped dust particles and of theoretical model output to describe them. This analysis involves plotting the scattered intensity versus the magnitude of the scattering wave vector q = (4π/λ)sin(θ/2), where λ is the optical wavelength and θ is the scattering angle, on a double-logarithmic plot. In q-space all the particle shapes studied display a scattering pattern which includes a q-independent forward scattering regime; a crossover, Guinier regime when q is near the inverse size; a power law regime; and an enhanced backscattering regime. Power law exponents show a quasi-universal functionality with the internal coupling parameter ρ′. The absolute value of the exponents start from 4 when ρ′ < 1, the diffraction limit, and decreases as ρ′ increases until a constant 1.75 ± 0.25 when ρ′ ≳ 10. The diffraction limit exponent implies that despite their irregular structures, all the particles studied have mass and surface scaling dimensions of D m = 3 and D s = 2, respectively. This is different from fractal aggregates that have a power law equal to the fractal dimension D f because D f = D m = D s < 3. Spheres have D m = 3 and D s = 2 but do not show a single power law nor the same functionality with ρ′. The results presented here imply that Q-space analysis can differentiate between spheres and these two types of irregularly shaped particles. Furthermore, they are applicable to analysis of the contribution of aerosol radiative forcing to climate change and of aerosol remote sensing data.
Q-space analysis is applied to the light scattering phase function of a wide variety of non-spherical and irregularly shaped particles including a great many types of dusts, fractal aggregates, spheroids, irregular spheres, Gaussian random spheres, thickened clusters and nine types of ice crystals. The phase functions were either experimental data or calculations. This analysis method uncovers many specific and quantitative similarities and differences between the scattering by various shapes and also when compared to spheres. From this analysis a general description for scattering by a particle of any shape emerges with specific details assigned to various shapes.
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