Abstract

Calculations of the electric-field strengths internal and external to the particle but in the near field have been performed for both spheres and infinite cylinders. Results are presented that illustrate the magnitude of the internal and external electric-field strengths in terms of a source function defined as S = |E/E_inc|². The location of the maximum source function external to the particle depends on the optical size parameter. For example, a spherical aerosol particle of water with an optical size of 12–13 and an index of refraction of 1.18 + 0.07 i has a maximum source function of ~3.25 occurring at a normalized radial position of ~1.8 radii on the shadow side.

© 1987 Optical Society of America