Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
Published on: July 1, 2019
Electromagnetic scattering by an aggregate of spheres: far field
1Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, P.O. Box 112055, Gainesville, Florida 32611-2055, USA.
Abstract:
In electromagnetic multisphere-scattering calculations the reexpansion method for seeking a single-field representation of the total scattered field is found impracticable because of severe numerical problems. We present a simple single-field expansion of the total scattered far field based on an asymptotic form of vector translational addition theorems. With this asymptotic expansion of the far field, we derive analytical expressions for the scattering properties of an arbitrary aggregate of spheres. Resulting formulas are free from numerical problems in practical applications. Theoretical predictions from this far-field solution for various aggregates of spheres that we tested agree favorably with laboratory microwave scattering measurements. Some numerical results are presented and compared with experimental data.
Related Concept Videos
Electric Field of a Non Uniformly Charged Sphere
Consider a non-uniformly charged sphere, for which the density of charge depends only on the distance from a point in space and not on the direction. Such a sphere has a spherically symmetrical charge distribution. Here, the electric...
Electromagnetic Fields
However, the observation of Gauss's...
The Principle of Superposition and the Gravitational Field
Interaction of EM Radiation with Matter: Spectroscopy
Plane Electromagnetic Waves II
Gauss's Law: Spherical Symmetry

