Rayleigh-Gans scattering approximation: surprisingly useful for understanding backscattering from disk-like particles.

Recent computations of the backscattering cross section of randomly-oriented disk-like particles (refractive index, 1.20) with small-scale internal structure, using the discrete-dipole approximation (DDA), have been repeated using the Rayleigh-Gans approximation (RGA). As long as the thickness of the disks is approximately 20% of the wavelength (or less), the RGA agrees reasonably well quantitatively with the DDA. The comparisons show that the RGA is sufficiently accurate to be useful as a quantitative tool for exploring the backscattering features of disk-like particles with complex structure. It is used here to develop a zeroth-order correction for the neglect of birefringence on modeling the backscattering of detached coccoliths from E. huxleyi.