Modified Watson’s Transformation for Asymptotic Analysis of Backscattering from Electrically Large Low-absorption Spheres

Abstract

Electromagnetic scattering from electrically large low-absorption spheres is rich in spectacular scattering phenomena, including solar rainbows and glories, seemingly irregular ruffling in scattering cross sections (ripple) and anomalously strong backscattering from silica glass balls. The presentation will briefly address the derivation of the modified Watson transformation, the asymptotic evaluation of the solutions for spheres and the physical interpretation of the asymptotic contributions. Furthermore, application of the modified Watson transformation to the phenomena of solar glories, of the ripple and of the anomalous backscattering from silica glass spheres will be outlined and supplemented with illustrative examples.