Multiple scattering of classical waves: from microscopy to mesoscopy and diffusion

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive tutorial on wave propagation in random media, covering diffusion, mesoscopic corrections, boundary effects, and correlations, with applications to various wave types.

Contribution

It introduces a unified framework connecting microscopic wave equations to mesoscopic transport and correlations, including boundary effects and strong scattering regimes.

Findings

Diffusion theory describes initial wave transport in random media.

Corrections from radiative transfer refine intensity predictions.

Mesoscopic correlations reveal wave nature effects in strong scattering.

Abstract

A tutorial discussion of the propagation of waves in random media is presented. In first approximation the transport of the multiple scattered waves is given by diffusion theory, but important corrections are present. These corrections are calculated with the radiative transfer or Schwarzschild-Milne equation, which describes intensity transport at the ``mesoscopic'' level and is derived from the ``microscopic'' wave equation. A precise treatment of the diffuse intensity is derived which automatically includes the effects of boundary layers. Effects such as the enhanced backscatter cone and imaging of objects in opaque media are also discussed within this framework. In the second part the approach is extended to mesoscopic correlations between multiple scattered intensities which arise when scattering is strong. These correlations arise from the underlying wave character. The derivation of correlation functions and intensity distribution functions is given and experimental data are discussed. Although the focus is on light scattering, the theory is also applicable to micro waves, sound waves and non-interacting electrons.