Extinction of light by randomly-oriented non-spherical grains
Abstract
Waterman'sT-matrix approach is used to derive a simple analytical expression for the extinction cross-section for randomly-oriented non-spherical grains. Numerical results are presented for randomly-oriented oblate and prolate spheroids and Chebyshev particles composed of ‘astronomical silicate’. These results are compared with those for spherical grains, and possible influence of the shape of dust grains on the value of interstellar extinction is considered. The range of validity of the Rayleigh approximation for computing extinction efficiency factors for randomly-oriented non-spherical grains is discussed.
- Publication:
-
Astrophysics and Space Science
- Pub Date:
- February 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1007/BF00653546
- Bibcode:
- 1990Ap&SS.164....1M
- Keywords:
-
- Computational Astrophysics;
- Cosmic Dust;
- Interstellar Extinction;
- Interstellar Matter;
- Grain Size;
- Light Scattering;
- Refractivity;
- Wave Propagation;
- Astrophysics