Comment on "A rigorous explanation for the resonances observed in the scattering from spherical ice particles" [with reply]

In their paper on the "fine scale resonant structure that has been observed both in Mie scattering calculations and in measurements", Papatsoris and Watson (see ibid., vol.42, p.1350, 1994) state, "various physical explanations have been sought in the past, none of them entirely satisfactory. In this paper, we show that these resonances are directly related to the excitation of the eigenfrequencies of the ice particles, when considered as dielectric resonators." The most recent prior work in which they mention spheres is a paper written in 1980 regarding surface waves. The authors appear to be unfamiliar with the relevant literature. Papatsoris and Watson reply that qualitative physical explanations for the fine structure of the scattered field form dielectric spheres have been available for many years. They prefer the work of Metz and Dettmar (1963) as being representative as an explanation of the ripple structure. They solved the transcendental equations for ice and presented a comparison between the natural and scattering resonances. They believe that the physical insight offered by their physical explanation is of value.