Trans-spectral absorption and scattering of electromagnetic radiation by diesel soot.

The mass density normalized absorption and total scattering coefficients have been measured using in situ techniques at selected wavelengths from the visible to approximately 1 cm for soot generated by the open combustion of diesel fuel. Particle morphologies are complex although similar to those of soots of other hydrocarbons and methods of generation. An ellipsoidal model has been applied as an approximation to the often multiconnected, chainlike aerosol and then compared with the measured results. The experimental results show an approximate (lambda)(-1) dependence over more than five decades of wavelength data. There is only general agreement with the simplified calculations in this feature as well as in the magnitude.