Angle of Incidence and Size Effects on Dependent Scattering in Fibrous Media
The influence of fiber size and angle of incidence on the radiative behavior of fibrous media containing closely spaced, aligned fibers is investigated by utilizing the dependent scattering theory. Numerical analyses are performed to calculate the coherent and incoherent scattering properties of dense fibrous media for several fiber sizes and angles of incidence. Results indicate that as the fiber concentration increases, the radiative properties deviate from their independent scattering values due to dependent scattering interactions. Dependent scattering becomes dominant at a lower volume fraction at normal than at oblique incidence. Increasing the fiber concentration causes the apparent refractive index of the fibrous medium to deviate from unity, thus giving rise to specular reflection due to Fresnel reflection.