Application of complex ray tracing to scattering problems

Representations and geometric constructions associated with complex points, complex lines, and complex rays are introduced. They are applied to the problem of scattering of an evanescent plane wave by a conducting circular cylinder. This problem has an exact solution, which provides a check of the validity of complex ray tracing and suggests more general applications. An important role is played by the transformation that maps the point of reflection, on the complex extension of the scattering surface, onto the trace in real space of the complex reflected ray. For the particular problem considered, the phase and amplitude of the reflected field are computed and the "phase paths" and "phase fronts" are constructed. The reflected field and phase paths obtained in this manner are not to be taken in their entirety because some reflection points are not "illuminated" by the incident wave, and because the reflector may be only part of the cylinder. Tentative selection and truncation rules are used which yield good agreement with the exact solution over some regions. The disagreement, where it occurs, comes-as it does for real rays-from neglecting the diffracted field such as the creeping waves around smooth surfaces and, in the case of truncation, the edge waves from the discontinuity. Some consideration is given to scattering by an arbitrary smooth conductor. Some problems peculiar to the use of complex rays are stated.