Parametric solution of the inverse light-scattering problem for individual spherical particles

We analyze the relation between spherical particle parameters (size parameter ? and relative refractive index m ) and light-scattering indicatrix parameters (fringe pitch and visibility) for ?and m ranging from 7 to 88 and from 1.025 to 1.2, respectively. We consider formation of the indicatrix structure under variation of size parameter ? and phase-shift parameter ? =2 ?(m - 1). We show that indicatrix visibility depends basically on the phase-shift parameter whereas fringe pitch depends on the size parameter. An analysis of these dependencies allows us to determine the region in the ? x ? map where particle parameters can be derived unambiguously from indicatrix parameters. We clarify errors in determination of particle characteristics on the basis of the approximating equations that relate particle size and phase shift to indicatrix parameters.