Intensity statistics of the light scattered from particulate surfaces:: interacting particles and non-Gaussian effects

We analyze the statistics of the copolarized and cross-polarized scattered intensity from a flat substrate contaminated by spherical or spheroidal interacting particles. In particular, we focus on both the cross-polarized component and the probability of detecting zeros in the cross-polarized intensity, P(I-cross = 0). As it is shown, the latter parameter gives information about particle interaction and can be measured with higher accuracy than other statistical parameters. A theoretical model for P(I-cross = 0) is presented for spherical Rayleigh scatterers. Computer simulations of P(I-cross = 0) by varying the shape, size and surface density of the particles are also shown. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.