Astrophysics (Index)About

Mie scattering

(scattering of light by large particles)

Mie scattering is a type of scattering of light by large particles, i.e., on a larger scale than atomic and subatomic particles. It is a theory (aka Mie theory) of scattering electromagnetic radiation (EMR) (modeled by Maxwell's equations) off spherical particles, which can also be used to approximate scattering off non-spherical particles. The model scatters all wavelengths, but the scattering is affected by some resonances based on the size of the particle. The equations are sufficiently complicated to require numerical solution. Rayleigh scattering is, in effect, an approximation of Mie scattering for a narrower regime, i.e., specifically for particles smaller than the wavelength. Mie theory can be used to model the apparent color of the sky and the color of atmospheres viewed from above. It can also be used to model reddening.


(optics,radiative transfer)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mie_Scattering
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/atmos/blusky.html#c3
https://apollo.nvu.vsc.edu/classes/met130/notes/chapter19/mie_scatt.html
https://www.ess.uci.edu/~cmclinden/link/xx/node19.html
https://www.thermopedia.com/content/956/

Referenced by page:
scattering

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