Berg Matthew J, Sorensen Christopher M, Chakrabarti Amitabha
Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Mnahattan, Kansas 66505-2601, USA.
J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. 2008 Jan;25(1):98-107. doi: 10.1364/josaa.25.000098.
We examine the reflection symmetries of the electromagnetic wave inside of a uniform spherical particle and identify the consequences of the symmetries for the Stokes parameters describing the polarization state of the far-field scattered wave. The connection between the two waves is described from a microphysical perspective that illustrates the wavelet-superposition origin of the scattered wave. In contrast to more conventional approaches, this microphysical perspective yields new insight into the physical character of the scattering of a plane wave by a sphere. The results of simulations are presented, which graphically demonstrate the relation between the symmetries present in the internal wave and the polarization state of the scattered wave.
