Scattering and Absorption of Electromagnetic Waves in Particulate Media

The canonical problem of electromagnetic scattering in complex particulate media is solved numerically using multiple-scattering theory based on the Maxwell equations, with an exact treatment of the leading
ladder and cyclical interaction diagrams. The numerical methods are validated using a nanotechnology-based scattering experiment that, simultaneously with the measurement of the full scattering matrix at arbitrary illumination and observation geometries, allows for a detailed physical characterization of the scattering object using Atomic Force Microscopy. The numerical and experimental methods will have a major impact on how knowledge is accrued on objects in our Solar System based on their scattering characteristics, with wavelengths spanning from the ultraviolet to radio, using both space-based and ground-based observing programs. The methods will have immediate applications in Earth observation, including remote sensing of the atmosphere, land, and sea.