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org

International Journal of Remote Sensing Applications (IJRSA) Volume 5, 2015

doi: 10.14355/ijrsa.2015.05.007

A Discussion on the Applicable Condition of

Rayleigh Scattering
Nan Li*1, Yiqing Zhu2, Zhenhui Wang3
Key Laboratory for Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation of China Meteorological Administration, School of Atmospheric
Physics, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, No.219, Ningliu Road, Nanjing, China
shangjineh@163.com; 21316jessica@sina.com; 3eiap@nuist.edu.cn

*1

Abstract
Based on the mechanism of particle scattering, rain detection radars are able to receive the backscattering and thus can detect
the precipitation particles. For radars with different wavelength, scattering from precipitation particles may be approximated
with different kinds of scattering theory, i.e. Mie scattering and Rayleigh scattering. When Mie scattering is used, the
computation of the physical quantity that characterizes backscattering of the particle is completed, and the computation is much
simpler when Rayleigh scattering is used. In traditional methods, a fixed threshold of the particle scale parameter is used as the
criterion to discriminate Rayleigh scattering, that is, the particle size should be smaller than the wavelength of electromagnetic
wave. In this work, the analysis on raindrop scattering against radars with different wavelength are discussed. It is concluded
that the backscattering cross-section ratio of Mie scattering to Rayleigh scattering is more reasonable than the particle scale
parameter for the measure of the criterion to discriminate Rayleigh scattering. Moreover, a small particle compared with the
wavelength is a sufficient but not necessary condition for Rayleigh scattering.
Keywords
Mie Scattering; Rayleigh Scattering; Applicable Condition

Introduction
The earth's atmosphere contains large amounts of gas molecules, aerosols, and cloud and precipitation particles.
These particles will produce scattering when the electromagnetic wave (such as sunlight and the microwave
emitted by radars) propagates in the atmosphere and encounters the particles. The incident electromagnetic wave
makes the formation of the charge and current distribution in a particle which contributes to the electric multiple
moment and the magnetic multiple moment. Since the electromagnetic field of the incident electromagnetic wave
is alternating, the multiple moment and the magnetic multiple moment are also alternated in the particle, and thus
electromagnetic wave radiate outward, i.e. the scattering electromagnetic wave. The scattering of the particle only
changes the propagation direction of the incident electromagnetic wave and does not convert the electromagnetic
wave into other forms of energy. The result of the particle scattering is that radars can receive echoes. The main
particles that can produce scattering for the electromagnetic wave emitted by rain detection radars are
precipitation particles [1].
The scattering characteristics are related to the size, shape, and other physical properties of the particle, in addition
to the incident electromagnetic wave. Therefore, characteristics of the scattering wave can be learned if the physical
properties of the particle are learned; conversely, the physical properties of the particle can be inferred if
characteristics of the scattering wave are learned. Radar generally only receives the part of the scattering wave that
transmits in return along the direction of the incident wave emitted by the radar antenna, i.e., the backscattering, so
properties of the particle can be studied through the analysis of the backscattering. The physical quantity to
characterize the backscattering ability of the particle is the backscattering cross-section (also called radar crosssection).
In addition, the dimensionless scale parameter is a frequently used factor to study physical properties including
the backscattering of the particle [2],
=

62

2 r d
=

(1)

International Journal of Remote Sensing Applications (IJRSA) Volume 5, 2015

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where r is the radius of the particle, d is the diameter of the particle, is the wavelength of the incident
electromagnetic wave. Through , the scale of the particle is measured relatively to the wavelength of
electromagnetic wave in scattering study.
Mie Scattering
Mie scattering theory was established by Gustav Mie when he studied the scattering of colloidal metal particles [3],
and has been studied by many others [4,5]. From the Maxwell equations, he derived the exact solution of the
scattering wave of a homogeneous spherical particle against plane electromagnetic wave. The solution is a
mathematical series that gives the amplitude of the scattering electromagnetic field of the particle as well as the
amplitude of the electromagnetic field in the particle in far field, called Mie scattering coefficients. (2a) and (2b) are
the Mie scattering coefficients of single spherical particle [6]
an =

m 2 jn ( m )[ jn ( )]' 1 jn ( )[m jn ( m )]'

m 2 jn ( m )[ hn(1) ( )]' hn(1) ( )[m jn ( m )]'

(2a)

bn =

1 jn ( m )[ jn ( )]' jn ( )[m jn ( m )]'

1 jn ( m )[ hn(1) ( )]' hn(1) ( )[m jn (m )]'

(2b)

where is the scale parameter, m is the complex refractive index, 1 and 1 are the permittivity and permeability of
the particle and and are the permittivity and permeability of the ambient medium, jn and yn, and hn(1)=jn+iyn, are
spherical Bessel functions of order n of the arguments, n is ranging from 1 to . A large number can be adopted for
n when Mie scattering coefficients are actually calculated [7].
The backscattering cross-section of the particle can be calculated through (2),

M=

2
4

(1) (2n + 1)(a

n =1

bn )

(3)

Rayleigh Scattering
Mie scattering can be used for all size particles, but its computation is complex. When the scale parameter is very
small, i.e. the particle is much smaller than the wavelength of the incident electromagnetic wave, Rayleigh
scattering can replace Mie scattering in computation. Neglecting terms of higher than sixth power of in (2), only
a1, b1 and b2 are significant, and they are equivalent to Rayleigh scattering proposed by Lord Rayleigh [8,9]
i
a1 =
( m 2 1) 5
45
2i m 2 1 3
3 m 2 2 2 2i m 2 1
b1 =

)
(1 +

2
3 m +2
5 m2 + 2
3 m2 + 2

(4a)
(4b)

i m2 1 5
(4c)

15 2m 2 + 3
(4) is substituted into (3) and the backscattering cross-section given by Mie scattering would be approximated by
Rayleigh scattering such as
b2 =

=
R

2 6 m2 1
5 m2 1 6
=

d
2
m +2
4 m2 + 2
4

(5)

The Applicable Condition Of Rayleigh Scattering

For the same particle, the backscattering cross-sections calculated by Mie scattering and Rayleigh scattering are
different, and Rayleigh scattering is the approximation of Mie scattering. Through the comparison of (5) and (3), it
can be found that the calculation of Rayleigh scattering is much simpler than Mie scattering. However, only when
the scale of the particle is in certain ranges, can Rayleigh scattering be adopted in computation, otherwise, Mie
scattering must be used. In this study, 4 radars to detect raindrops with different wavelength are taken as examples
to discuss the applicable condition of Rayleigh scattering. They are an S band (10 cm), a C band (5 cm), and an X

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International Journal of Remote Sensing Applications (IJRSA) Volume 5, 2015

band (3 cm) ground-based radar and a Ku band (2.2 cm) satellite-based radar.
The Use of the Scale Parameter
Traditional methods use a threshold of the scale parameter as the criterion to discriminate Rayleigh scattering.
They emphasized that when was much smaller than 1, the Rayleigh approximation can be used without
correction [10-12]. Some scholars discussed the range of Rayleigh scattering for different wavelengths and phase
states [9,13-16], and set their sights on the range of small . In general, 0.13 is generally employed. When <0.13,
Rayleigh scattering can be adopted for approximation calculation and when >0.13, Mie scattering should be used.
Corresponding to this threshold, when the particle is small enough compared with the wavelength of
electromagnetic wave, Rayleigh scattering can be adopted.
Table 1 gives the critical diameter of the raindrop when <0.13 is adopted as the applicable condition of Rayleigh
scattering [10,17]. It can be seen from Table 1 that for the same scale parameter, the critical sizes of raindrops are
different for different wavelength. Meanwhile, it should be noted that the backscattering cross-section ratios of Mie
scattering to Rayleigh scattering are different for different wavelength. This means that when a fixed threshold of
is used as the criterion, the approximation of Rayleigh scattering is not consistent for different wavelength. For
example, there can be about an error of 5% error for the Ku band radar while an error of 8% for the S band radar
when Rayleigh scattering is adopted.
In fact, the backscattering of a particle changes gradually with its scale, and a scale parameter threshold of 0.13 is a
general empirical criterion. Since the aim to give applicable condition of Rayleigh scattering is the approximate
calculation of the backscattering, a more reasonable and consistent criterion might be provided for Rayleigh
scattering.
TABLE 1 THE CRITICAL DIAMETER OF THE RAINDROP WHEN <0.13 IS ADOPTED AS THE APPLICABLE CONDITION OF RAYLEIGH SCATTERING

Band

(cm)

10

Ku

2.2

0.13

d(mm)

M/R

4.138

0.9193

2.069

0.9274

1.2414

0.9408

0.9104

0.953

The Use of the Backscattering Cross-Section Ratio of Mie Scattering to Rayleigh Scattering
Because Rayleigh scattering is an approximation of Mie scattering, the backscattering cross-section ratio of Mie
scattering to Rayleigh scattering can be used as an indication of the approximation degree of Rayleigh scattering.
The closer M/R approaches 1, the better the degree of the approximation by Rayleigh scattering will be. The
difference between backscattering cross-sections calculated by Mie scattering and Rayleigh scattering should be
analyzed. Fig. 1 gives the backscattering cross-section ratios of Mie scattering to Rayleigh scattering for different
wavelength against the raindrop diameter d. The maximum diameter for analysis is taken as 6.5 mm which is a
little larger than the limit size of the raindrop [17,18].
It can be seen from Fig. 1 that
(1) For the S band radar with 10 cm wavelength, the backscattering cross-section calculated by Rayleigh scattering
is larger than Mie scattering, and the difference increases with the particle diameter. Only when the raindrop is
small enough, can Rayleigh scattering give a good approximation to Mie scattering.
(2) For radars with 5cm, 3 cm and 2.2 cm wavelength, the backscattering cross-section calculated by Rayleigh
scattering is smaller than Mie scattering at first but larger than Mie scattering later with the increasing raindrop
diameter. There is more than one place where M/R is equal to 1, and around these places Rayleigh scattering gives
a good approximation to Mie scattering. Therefore, not only very small raindrops also other conditional size
raindrops are suitable for Rayleigh scattering.

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FIG. 1 THE BACKSCATTERING CROSS-SECTION RATIOS OF MIE SCATTERING TO RAYLEIGH SCATTERING FOR DIFFERENT
WAVELENGTH AGAINST THE DIAMETER OF THE RAINDROP

When M/R is close enough to 1, Rayleigh scattering can be adopted without reference to the wavelength.
Therefore, M/R-1<0.05 can be used as a uniform applicable condition of Rayleigh scattering. This threshold
can ensure that the approximation degree of Rayleigh scattering is above 95% (i.e. the error is below 5%) for
different wavelength.
Table 2 gives the scale range of raindrops when M/R-1<0.05 is adopted as the applicable condition of Rayleigh
scattering. It can be seen from Table 2 that with respect to a uniform approximation of Rayleigh scattering, critical
values of the scale parameter are different for radars with different wavelength. Furthermore, besides the scale
range that is very small, there is another scale range of raindrops for C, X and Ku band radar. With these scale
ranges, the calculation of Rayleigh scattering is more accurate and consistent than traditional methods that directly
use a fixed value of as the criterion.
TABLE 2 THE SCALE RANGE OF A RAINDROP WHEN M/R -1<0.05 IS ADOPTED AS THE APPLICABLE CONDITION OF RAYLEIGH SCATTERING

Band

(cm)

d(mm)

10

0-3.3312

0-0.1046

0-1.743

0-0.1095

5.1965-5.2492

0.3265-0.3298

0-1.146

0-0.12

3.0661-3.1469

0.3211-0.3295

Ku

2.2

0-0.9383

0-0.134

2.1925-2.3054

0.3131-0.3292

M/R

0.95-1.05

Conclusion
Scattering from particles may be computed with different scattering theory, i.e. Mie scattering and Rayleigh
scattering. The computation of Mie scattering is accurate but complex, while the computation of Rayleigh
scattering is much simpler but it is an approximation of Mie scattering and is conditional. In this work, the
applicable condition of Rayleigh scattering is discussed through the analysis on backscattering cross-sections of
raindrops for four rain detection radars with different wavelength. Traditional methods use a fixed threshold of the
particle scale parameter as a criterion to discriminate Rayleigh scattering but the approximation of Rayleigh
scattering is not uniform for different wavelengths. In addition, traditional methods only give the scale range for

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International Journal of Remote Sensing Applications (IJRSA) Volume 5, 2015

Rayleigh scattering that the particle is very small compared with the wavelength. In this study, it should be
emphasized that the backscattering cross-section ratio of Mie scattering to Rayleigh scattering is more reasonable
than the particle scale parameter as a measure of the criterion. When the ratio is closer to 1, Rayleigh scattering is
closer to Mie scattering, which is the essence of the applicable condition of Rayleigh scattering. By setting an
allowable error of Rayleigh scattering compared with Mie scattering (e.g. 5%), scale ranges of the particle can be
determined for Rayleigh scattering given the wavelength. Since scale ranges of the particle may be not confined to
small size, a very small particle compared with the wavelength is a sufficient but not necessary condition for
Rayleigh scattering.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This study was supported by the Special Scientific Research Fund of Meteorological Public Welfare Profession of
China (GYHY201306078), the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China
(41305031), the Young Scientists Fund of the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China (BK2012466),
and the Priority Academic Program Development (PAPD) of Jiangsu Higher Education Institution.
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