Light scattering by fluffy particles with the PROGRA2 experiment:: Mixtures of materials

The PROGRA(2) experiment is specifically designed to measure the linear polarization of the light scattered by clouds of particles. The imaging method allows us to obtain maps of polarization and to measure the size distribution and the number density of the particles in the field of view. This work presents a systematic study of highly porous (fluffy) aggregates with submicron-sized constituent grains lifted by an air-draught. The main materials are silica and carbon. The maximum in polarization mainly depends on the average size of the constituent grains. The results, mainly concerned with the negative branch of the phase curves, the maximum polarization, the color effect and the albedo are compared with cometary observations and discussed in terms of physical properties. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.