Backscattering enhancement and clustering effects of randomly distributed dielectric cylinders overlying a dielectric half space based on Monte-Carlo simulations

Backscattering enhancement can exist in volume-surface interactions where a double bounce can arise from one volume scattering and one surface scattering. An important quantity to be determined in backscattering enhancement is the angular width. The authors study backscattering enhancement of the volume-surface interaction by performing Monte-Carlo simulations of scattering by vertical dielectric cylinders overlying a dielectric half space using the Foldy-Lax multiple-scattering equations. The results indicate that the angular width of backscattering enhancement for a scattering layer with a small optical thickness is of the order of the wavelength divided by the layer thickness giving an appreciable angular width of the order of 10-30 degrees that can be important for remote sensing applications. The effects of clustering of scatterers leading to collective scattering and absorption effects are also studied