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NASA NTRS2008

Radiation Transport of Heliospheric Lyman-alpha from Combined Cassini and Voyager Data Sets

Heliospheric neutral hydrogen scatters solar Lyman-alpha radiation from the Sun with '27-day' intensity modulations observed near Earth due to the Sun's rotation combined with Earth's orbital motion. These modulations are increasingly damped in amplitude at larger distances from the Sun due to multiple scattering in the heliosphere, providing a diagnostic of the interplanetary neutral hydrogen density independent of instrument calibration. This paper presents Cassini data from 2003-2004 obtained downwind near Saturn at approximately 10 AU that at times show undamped '27-day' waves in good agreement with the single-scattering models of Pryor et al., 1992. Simultaneous Voyager 1 data from 2003- 2004 obtained upwind at a distance of 88.8-92.6 AU from the Sun show waves damped by a factor of -0.21. The observed degree of damping is interpreted in terms of Monte Carlo multiple-scattering calculations (e.g., Keller et al., 1981) applied to two heliospheric hydrogen two-shock density distributions (discussed in Gangopadhyay et al., 2006) calculated in the frame of the Baranov-Malama model of the solar wind interaction with the two-component (neutral hydrogen and plasma) interstellar wind (Baranov and Malama 1993, Izmodenov et al., 2001, Baranov and Izmodenov, 2006). We conclude that multiple scattering is definitely occurring in the outer heliosphere. Both models compare favorably to the data, using heliospheric neutral H densities at the termination shock of 0.085 cm(exp -3) and 0.095 cm(exp -3). This work generally agrees with earlier discussions of Voyager data in Quemerais et al., 1996 showing the importance of multiple scattering but is based on Voyager data obtained at larger distances from the Sun (with larger damping) simultaneously with Cassini data obtained closer to the Sun.

Pryor, W.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Effective Tree Scattering and Opacity at L-Band

This paper investigates vegetation effects at L-band by using a first-order radiative transfer (RT) model and truck-based microwave measurements over natural conifer stands to assess the applicability of the tau-omega) model over trees. The tau-omega model is a zero-order RT solution that accounts for vegetation effects with effective vegetation parameters (vegetation opacity and single-scattering albedo), which represent the canopy as a whole. This approach inherently ignores multiple-scattering effects and, therefore, has a limited validity depending on the level of scattering within the canopy. The fact that the scattering from large forest components such as branches and trunks is significant at L-band requires that zero-order vegetation parameters be evaluated (compared) along with their theoretical definitions to provide a better understanding of these parameters in the retrieval algorithms as applied to trees. This paper compares the effective vegetation opacities, computed from multi-angular pine tree brightness temperature data, against the results of two independent approaches that provide theoretical and measured optical depths. These two techniques are based on forward scattering theory and radar corner reflector measurements, respectively. The results indicate that the effective vegetation opacity values are smaller than but of similar magnitude to both radar and theoretical estimates. The effective opacity of the zero-order model is thus set equal to the theoretical opacity and an explicit expression for the effective albedo is then obtained from the zero- and first- order RT model comparison. The resultant albedo is found to have a similar magnitude as the effective albedo value obtained from brightness temperature measurements. However, it is less than half of that estimated using the theoretical calculations (0.5 - 0.6 for tree canopies at L-band). This lower observed albedo balances the scattering darkening effect of the large theoretical albedo with a first-order multiple-scattering contribution. The retrieved effective albedo is different from theoretical definitions and not the albedo of single forest elements anymore, but it becomes a global parameter, which depends on all the processes taking place within the canopy, including multiple-scattering.

Kurum, Mehmet↗

NASA NTRS1992

The limitations of resonant Compton scattering as a gamma-ray burst model

Resonant Compton upscattering is commended as a mechanism that produces a hard gamma-ray spectrum while suppressing X-rays. This model, however, has severe physical and observational limitations. Effective X-ray suppression places a lower limit on the electron density; above this limit X-rays scatter multiple times, so the single-scattering approximation of this mechanism is invalid. Multiple scattering produces a spectrum that is much harder than the single-scattering spectrum. As the Thomson optical depth of a power-law electron beam approaches unity, photon spawning commences at a high rate and physically invalidates the underlying electron distribution. The Compton upscattering model is therefore only valid over a narrow range of electron densities. An observational consequence of this model is the absence of the third cyclotron resonance. Resonant scattering produces gamma-rays that propagate nearly along the magnetic field. The resonant cross section of the third harmonic, which is strongly angle dependent, falls below the Compton continuum for these gamma rays. The observation of a third cyclotron resonance in a gamma-ray burst spectrum would eliminate resonant Compton scattering as a gamma-ray burst process.

Brainerd, J. J.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Impact of MIE-Resonances on the Atmospheric Absorption of Water Clouds

Clouds strongly modulate radiative transfer processes in the Earth's atmosphere. Studies, which simulate bulk properties of clouds, such as absorption, require methods that accurately account for multiple scattering among individual cloud particles. Multiple scattering processes are well described by MIE-theory, if interacting particles have a spherical shape. This is a good assumption for water droplets. Thus, simulations for water clouds (especially for interactions with solar radiation) usually apply readily available MIE-codes. The presence of different drop-sizes, however, necessitates repetitive calculations for many sizes. The usual representation by a few sizes is likely to miss contributions from densely distributed, sharp resonances. Despite their usually narrow width, integrated over the entire size-spectrum of a cloud droplet distribution, the impact of missed resonances could add up. The consideration of these resonances tends to increase cloud extinction and cloud absorption. This mechanism for a larger (than by MIE-methods predicted) solar absorption has the potential to explain observational evidence of larger than predicted cloud absorption at solar wavelengths. The presentation will address the absorption impact of added resonances for typical properties of water clouds (e.g. drop size distributions, drop concentrations and cloud geometry). Special attention will be given to scenarios with observational evidence of law than simulated solar absorption; particularly if simultaneous measurements of cloud micro- and macrophysical properties are available.

Wiscombe, W.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Active and Passive Radiative Transfer Simulations for GPM-Related Field Campaigns

Using a three-dimensional radiative transfer model combined with cloud-resolving model output, we simulate active and passive sensor observations of clouds and precipitaiton. This combination of tools allows us to diagnose the contributions of various hydrometeor types. Radar multiple scattering is most closely associated with the presence of graupel. At Wband, massive amounts multiple scattering in deep convection can decorrelate the reflectivity profile from the vertical structure, but for less intense events, multiple scattering could be a useful indicator of riming. For passive sensors, polarization differences at 166 GHz indicate the presence of horizontally aligned frozen particles with pronounced aspect ratios, while high concentrations of more isotropic aggregates and graupel dampen the polarization difference while also contributing to the lowest brightness temperature depressions. The insights into remote sensing measurements will facilitate the development of improved algorithms and advanced sensors.

Adams, Ian S.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Laser scattering by submicron droplets formed during the electrical explosion of thin metal wires

Abstract This paper presents the results of studying dispersed media formation during the electrical explosion of thin metal wires in vacuum by using low-current generators (~1–10 kA). Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the composition and structure of the corresponding explosion products as well as to the problem of their visualization using simultaneous laser interferometry and shadow imaging at two wavelengths (1.064 µ m and 0.532 µ m). Our findings indicate the important role in the visualization of the explosion products that belongs to multiple scattering by submicron droplets of dense condensed matter, which are mixed with metal vapor. The hypothesis on the existence of submicron droplets in the products of exploding metal wires correlates with the results obtained by soft x-ray radiography combined with a laser probing technique. Taking into account the multiple scattering by submicron droplets, it is possible to significantly clarify the parameters of the explosion products visualized via laser probing techniques as well as to gain a deeper insight into the physics behind the electrical wire explosion.

Physics↗

DOE OSTI2026

Improved Muon Energy Estimation Using a Detailed Model of Multiple Coulomb Scattering in the MicroBooNE LArTPC

We present an improved technique for estimating a muon's energy by measuring the deflections along its path inside the MicroBooNE detector from multiple Coulomb scattering (MCS). This approach implements several innovations that better capture detector non-idealizations compared to previous MCS-based muon energy estimators. As a result, it achieves improved resolution, reduced bias, and better data-model agreement. Using model simulation, for fully contained events the estimated bias is within 1\% and the estimated resolution narrows from 10\% to 4.3\% as muon energy increases from 0.1\,GeV to 2\,GeV. For events with particles exiting the detector volume, at least a meter of reconstructed muon track, and a muon energy below 2\,GeV, the estimated bias is less than 2\% and the estimated resolution varies from 7\% to 17\% over muon energy. These demonstrate significant improvements over the performance of previous work using an MCS-based energy estimator at MicroBooNE~\cite{mcs_2017}, which exhibited approximately twice worse resolution and a bias of 20\% over the same energy region. Data-model goodness-of-fit studies are used to validate the estimator's performance on data, showing good agreement within model uncertainties.

Cooper-Troendle, London [U. Pittsburgh (main); Fer↗

DOE OSTI2017

Monte Carlo calculation of large and small-angle electron scattering in air

A Monte Carlo method for angle scattering of electrons in air that accommodates the small-angle multiple scattering and larger-angle single scattering limits is introduced. The algorithm is designed for use in a particle-in-cell simulation of electron transport and electromagnetic wave effects in air. The method is illustrated in example calculations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA NTRS1993

LRAT: Lightning Radiative Transfer

In this report, we extend to cloud physics the work done for single and multiple scattering of electromagnetic waves. We consider the scattering of light, visible or infrared, by a spherical cloud represented by a statistically homogeneous ensemble of configurations of N identical spherical water droplets whose centers are uniformly distributed in its volume V. The ensemble is specified by the average number rho of scatterers in unit volume and by rho f(R) with f(R) as the distribution function for separations R of pairs. The incident light, vector-phi(sub 0) a plane electromagnetic wave with harmonic time dependence, is from outside the cloud. The propagation parameter kappa(sub 0) and the index of refraction eta(sub 0) determine physically the medium outside the distribution of scatterers. We solve the interior problem separately to obtain the bulk parameters for the scatterer equivalent to the ensemble of spherical droplets. With the interior solution or the equivalent medium approach, the multiple scattering problem is reduced to that of an equivalent single scatterer excited from outside illumination. A dispersion relation which determines the bulk propagation parameter K and the bulk index of refraction eta of the cloud is given in terms of the vector equivalent scattering amplitude vector-G and the dyadic scattering amplitude tilde-g of the single object in isolation. Based on this transfer model we will have the ability to consider clouds composed of inhomogeneous distribution of water and/or ice particles and we will be able to take into account particle size distributions within the cloud. We will also be able to study the effects of cloud composition (i.e., particle shape, size, composition, orientation, location) on the polarization of the single or the multiple scattered waves. Finally, this study will provide a new starting point for studying the problem of lightning radiative transfer.

Phanord, Dieudonne D.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Cloud Scattering Impact on Thermal Radiative Transfer and Global Longwave Radiation

The potential importance of longwave (LW) cloud scattering has been recognized but the actual estimate of this effect on thermal radiation varies greatly among different studies. General circulation models (GCMs) generally neglect or simplify the multiple scattering in the LW. In this study, we use a rigorous radiative transfer algorithm to explicitly consider LW multiple-scattering and apply the GCM to quantify the impact of cloud LW scattering on thermal radiation fluxes. Our study shows that the cloud scattering effect on downward thermal radiation at the surface is concentrated in the infrared atmospheric window spectrum (800–1250 cm9exp −1)). The scattering effect on the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) is also present in the window region over low clouds but it is mainly in the far-infrared spectrum (300–600 cm(exp −1)) over high clouds. For clouds with small to moderate optical depth (τ < 10), the scattering effect on thermal fluxes shows large variation with the cloud τ and has a maximum at an optical depth of ∼3. For opaque clouds, the scattering effect approaches an asymptote and is smaller and less important. The 2-stream radiative transfer scheme could have an error over 10% with an RMS error around 3.5%–4.0% in the calculated LW flux. This algorithm error of the 2-stream approximation could readily exceed the no-scattering error in the LW, and thus it is worthless to include the time-consuming computation of multiple scattering in a 2-stream radiative transfer scheme. However, the calculation error rapidly decreases as stream number increases and the RMS error in LW flux using the 4-stream scheme is under 0.3%, an accuracy sufficient for most climate studies. We implement the 4-stream discrete-ordinate algorithm in the GISS GCM and run the GCM for 20 years with and without the LW scattering effect, respectively. When cloud LW scattering is included, we find that the global annual mean OLR is reduced by 2.7 W/m(exp 2), and the downward surface flux and the net atmospheric absorption are increased by 1.6 W/m2 and 1.8 W/m(exp 2), respectively. Using one year of ISCCP clouds and running the standalone radiative transfer offline, the global annual mean non-scattering errors in OLR, surface LW downward flux and net atmospheric absorption are 3.6 W/m(exp 2), −1.1 W/m(exp 2), and −2.5 W/m(exp 2), respectively. The global scattering impact of 2.7 W/m(exp 2) on the OLR is small when compared to the typical global OLR value of 240 W/m2, but it is significant when compared to cloud LW radiative forcing (30 W/m2) and net cloud forcing (−14 W/m(exp 2)). Overall, the effect of neglecting scattering on the thermal fluxes is comparable to the reported clear sky radiative effect of doubling CO2.

longwave cloud scattering↗

NASA NTRS1992

Dense fog on the highway: Visual range monitoring in cars?

This paper reports on the development of a new sensor. Laser range-finders are currently installed in cars and trucks to measure the distance to a proceeding car (LEICA). A modification of such a sensor to measure visibility was made. The problems that had to be solved were: (1) choice of wavelength with relation to the human eye for visibility measurements; (2) dependency of the wavelength on atmospheric turbidity; (3) laser eye-safety; and (4) influence of multiple scattering at visibilities smaller than 200 m. The wavelength used for lidar sensors in the near infrared presents no real problems because the object to be sensed is fog appearing white which means that scattering from fog is wavelength independent. There are however differences in backscatter-to-extinction ratio for different fog and weather situations. The two solutions to these problems are polarization and multiple scattering. As known from airport operations of a laser ceilometer, one can use this multiple scattering contribution to determine the visibility.

Hahn, W.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Ab initio folding potentials for nucleon-nucleus scattering based on no-core shell-model one-body densities

Background: Calculating microscopic optical potentials for elastic nucleon-nucleus scattering has already led to large body of work in the past. For folding first-order calculations the nucleon-nucleon ( NN ) interaction and the one-body density of the nucleus were taken as input to rigorous calculations in a spectator expansion of the multiple scattering series. Purpose: Based on the Watson expansion of the multiple scattering series we employ a nonlocal translationally invariant nuclear density derived from a chiral next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) and the very same interaction for consistent full-folding calculation of the effective (optical) potential for nucleon-nucleus scattering for light nuclei. Methods: The first order effective (optical) folding potential is computed by integrating over the nonlocal, translationally invariant NCSM one-body density and the off-shell Wolfenstein amplitudes A and C. The resulting nonlocal potential serves as input for a momentum-space Lippmann-Schwinger equation, whose solutions are summed to obtain the nucleon-nucleus scattering observables. Results: We calculate scattering observables, such as total, reaction, and differential cross sections as well as the analyzing power and the spin-rotation parameter, for elastic scattering of protons and neutrons from 4 He, 6 He, 12 C, and 16 O, in the energy regime between 100 and 200 MeV projectile kinetic energy, and compare to available data. Conclusions: Our calculations show that the effective nucleon-nucleus potential obtained from the first-order term in the spectator expansion of the multiple scattering expansion describes experiments very well to about 60 degrees in the center-of-mass frame, which coincides roughly with the validity of the NNLO chiral interaction used to calculate both the NN amplitudes and the one-body nuclear density.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

Dynamic coherent backscattering mirror

The phase of multiply scattered light has recently attracted considerable interest. Coherent backscattering is a striking phenomenon of multiple scattered light in which the coherence of light survives multiple scattering in a random medium and is observable in the direction space as an enhancement of the intensity of backscattered light within a cone around the retroreflection direction. Reciprocity also leads to enhancement of backscattering light in the spatial space. The random medium behaves as a reciprocity mirror which robustly converts a diverging incident beam into a converging backscattering one focusing at a conjugate spot in space. Here we first analyze theoretically this coherent backscattering mirror (CBM) phenomenon and then demonstrate the capability of CBM compensating and correcting both static and dynamic phase distortions occurring along the optical path. CBM may offer novel approaches for high speed dynamic phase corrections in optical systems and find applications in sensing and navigation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2016

Scaling of the anomalous Hall effect in epitaxial antiperovskite Mn{sub 3.5}Dy{sub 0.5}N involving multiple competing scattering mechanisms

Anomalous Hall effect (AHE) has been studied for ferrimagnetic antiperovskite Mn{sub 3.5}Dy{sub 0.5}N film grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Reflective high energy electron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy demonstrate the high quality of the film. We have used a scaling involving multiple competing scattering mechanisms to distinguish variations of contributions to the AHE by heavily doped Dy. The scaling analysis revealed that the heavily doped Dy has dramatically modified the skew scattering part of the AHE in Mn{sub 4}N and Mn{sub 3.5}Dy{sub 0.5}N has a totally different scattering mechanism from an undoped film.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1995

Thermal emission from particulate surfaces: A comparison of scattering models with measured spectra

Emissivity spectra of particulate mineral samples are highly dependent on particle size when that size is comparable to the wavelength of light emitted (5-50 micrometers for the midinfrared). Proper geologic interpretation of data from planetary infrared spectrometers will require that these particle size effects be well understood. To address this issue, samples of quartz powders were produced with narrow, well-characterized particle size distributions. Mean particle diameters in these samples ranged from 15 to 227 micrometers. Emission spectra of these powders allow the first detailed comparison of the complex spectral variations with particle size observed in laboratory data with the predictions of radiative transfer models. Four such models are considered here. Hapke's relectance theory (converted to emissivity via Kirchoff's law) is the first model tested. Hapke's more recently published emission theory is also employed. The third model, the 'Mie/Conel' model, uses Mie single scattering with a two-stream approximation for multiple scattering. This model, like the first, is a converted reflec- tance model. Mie scattering assumes particles are both spherical and well separated, which is not true for the quartz powders, but includes diffraction effects. The fourth model uses the Mie solution for single scattering by spheres and inputs those results into the multiple scattering formalism of Hapke's emission theory. The results of the four models are considered in relation to the values of the optical constants n and k. We have grouped these as class 1 (k large), class 2 (k moderate, n is approximately 2), class 3 (k small, n is approximately 2), and class 4 (k small, n is approximately 1). In general, the Mie/Hapke hybrid model does best at predicting variations with grain size. In particular, it predicts changes of the correct pattern, although incorrect magnitude, for class 1 bands, where large increases in emissivity with decreasing grain size are observed. This model also does an excellent job on moderate (class 2) and very weak and intraband (class 3) regions, and correctly predicts the emission maximum and its invariance with grain size near the Christiansen frequency (class 4). The Mie/Hapke hybrid model also has the fewest free parameters of the four models examined, while maintaining the most physical treatment of the radiative transfer. The Mie/Conel model performs as well as the Mie/Hapke hybrid model in strong bands (class 1) but does not accurately model the behavior of moderate (class 2) and very weak (class 3) bands.

Moersch, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Backscatter-to-Extinction Ratios in the Top Layers of Tropical Mesoscale Convective Systems and in Isolated Cirrus from LITE Observations

Cloud-integrated attenuated backscatter from observations with the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE) was studied over a range of cirrus clouds capping some extensive mesoscale convective systems (MCSS) in the Tropical West Pacific. The integrated backscatter when the cloud is completely attenuating, and when corrected for multiple scattering, is a measure of the cloud particle backscatter phase function. Four different cases of MCS were studied. The first was very large, very intense, and fully attenuating, with cloud tops extending to 17 km and a maximum lidar pulse penetration of about 3 km. It also exhibited the highest integrated attenuated isotropic backscatter, with values in the 532-nm channel of up to 2.5 near the center of the system, falling to 0.6 near the edges. The second MCS had cloud tops that extended to 14.8 km. Although MCS2 was almost fully attenuating, the pulse penetration into the cloud was up to 7 km and the MCS2 had a more diffuse appearance than MCS1. The integrated backscatter values were much lower in this system but with some systematic variations between 0.44 and 0.75. The third MCS was Typhoon Melissa. Values of integrated backscatter in tt-ds case varied from 1.64 near the eye of the typhoon to between 0.44 and 1.0 in the areas of typhoon outflow and in the 532-nm channel. Mean pulse penetration through the cloud top was 2-3 km, the lowest penetration of any of the systems. The fourth MCS consisted of a region of outflow from Typhoon Melissa. The cloud was semitransparent for more than half of the image time. During that time, maximum cloud depth was about 7 km. The integrated backscatter varied from about 0.38 to 0.63 in the 532-nm channel when the cloud was fully attenuating. In some isolated cirrus between the main systems, a plot of integrated backscatter against one minus the two-way transmittance gave a linear dependence with a maximum value of 0.35 when the clouds were fully attenuating. The effective backscatter-to-extinction ratios, when allowing for different multiple-scattering factors from space, were often within the range of those observed with ground-based lidar. Exceptions occurred near the centers of the most intense convection, where values were measured that were considerably higher than those in cirrus observed from the surface. In this case, the values were more compatible with theoretical values for perfectly formed hexagonal columns or plates. The large range in theoretically calculated back- scatter-to-extinction ratio and integrated multiple-scattering factor precluded a closer interpretation in terms of cloud microphysics.

Platt, C. M. R.↗

NASA NTRS2010

A New Approach for Checking and Complementing CALIPSO Lidar Calibration

We have been studying the backscatter ratio of the two CALIPSO wavelengths for 3 different targets. We are showing the ratio of integrate attenuated backscatter coefficient for cirrus clouds, ocean surface and liquid. Water clouds for one month of nightime data (left:July,right:December), Only opaque cirrus classified as randomly oriented ice[1] are used. For ocean and water clouds, only the clearest shots, determined by a threshold on integrated attenuated backscatter are used. Two things can be immediately observed: 1. A similar trend (black dotted line) is visible using all targets, the color ratio shows a tendency to be higher north and lower south for those two months. 2. The water clouds average value is around 15% lower than ocean surface and cirrus clouds. This is due to the different multiple scattering at 532 nm and 1064 nm [2] which strongly impact the water cloud retrieval. Conclusion: Different targets can be used to improve CALIPSO 1064 nm calibration accuracy. All of them show the signature of an instrumental calibration shift. Multiple scattering introduce a bias in liquid water cloud signal but it still compares very well with all other methods and should not be overlooked. The effect of multiple scattering in liquid and ice clouds will be the subject of future research. If there really is a sampling issue. Combining all methods to increase the sampling, mapping the calibration coefficient or trying to reach an orbit per orbit calibration seems an appropriate way.

Josset, Damien B.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Time-dependent Second Order Scattering Theory for Weather Radar with a Finite Beam Width

Multiple scattering effects from spherical water particles of uniform diameter are studied for a W-band pulsed radar. The Gaussian transverse beam-profile and the rectangular pulse-duration are used for calculation. An second-order analytical solution is derived for a single layer structure, based on a time-dependent radiative transfer theory as described in the authors' companion paper. When the range resolution is fixed, increase in footprint radius leads to increase in the second order reflectivity that is defined as the ratio of the second order return to the first order one. This feature becomes more serious as the range increases. Since the spaceborne millimeter-wavelength radar has a large footprint radius that is competitive to the mean free path, the multiple scattering effect must be taken into account for analysis.

mulitple scattering↗