Absorption and Scattering by an Arbitrary Particle

When a particle is illuminated by a beam of light with specified characteristics, the amount and angular distribution of the light scattered by the particle, as well as the amount absorbed, depends in a detailed way on the nature of the particle, that is, its shape, size, and the materials of which it is composed. This presents us with an almost unlimited number of distinct possibilities. Nevertheless, there are some features common to the phenomena of scattering and absorption by small particles. In this chapter, therefore, our goal is to say as much as possible about such phenomena without invoking any specific particle. This will establish the mathematical and physical framework underlying all the specific problems encountered in later chapters. 

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