Scattering by a random set of parallel cylinders

Abstract

A theory of scattering by a finite number of cylinders of arbitrary cross section is presented. This theory is based on a self-consistent approach that identifies incident and scattered fields around each cylinder and then uses the notion of a scattering matrix in order to get a linear system of equations. Special attention is paid to the simplified case of a sparse distribution of small cylinders for low frequencies. Surprisingly, it is found that the classical rules of homogenization must be modified in that case. The phenomenon of enhanced backscattering of light is investigated from numerical data for a dense distribution of cylinders.