Polarized radiative transfer in dense dispersed media containing optically soft sticky particles

This paper focuses on polarized radiative transfer in dispersed layers composed of densely packed optically soft particles while considering the effects of dependent scattering and particle agglomeration. The radiative properties of the particles for different agglomeration degrees are calculated using the Lorenz-Mie theory combined with the Percus-Yevick sticky hard sphere model, and the vector radiative transfer equation is solved by using the spectral method. The normalized Stokes reflection matrix elements of the layers for different particle sizes, particle volume fractions and layer thicknesses are discussed. The results show that the effects of multiple scattering, dependent scattering and particle agglomeration have different degrees of influence on the polarized reflection characteristics of the layers. Due to the inhibition effect of far-field interference interaction on particle scattering, the dependent scattering weakens the depolarization caused by multiple scattering. However, as the particles form agglomerations, the scattering coefficients of the particles obviously increase with the agglomeration degree, which will lead to the significant enhancement of the multiple scattering and depolarization.