Rayleigh scattering

JAN 01, 1982

Questions of terminology are resolved during a historical excursion through the physics of light‐scattering by gas molecules

DOI: 10.1063/1.2890003

Andrew T. Young

We all know that blue skies and red sunsets are due to the “Rayleigh scattering” of sunlight. But beyond that, Rayleigh scattering means different things to different scientists.

This article is only available in PDF format

References

1. A. T. Young, Appl. Opt. 19, 3427 (1980); https://doi.org/APOPAI
A. T. Young, J. Appl. Meteorol. 20, 328 (1981).https://doi.org/JAMOAX
2. H. A. Stuart, Molekülstruktur, Springer, Berlin (1934), pages 167–183.
3. J. Tyndall, Philos. Mag. (4) 37, 384 (1869).https://doi.org/PHMAA4
4. J. Tyndall, Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc. London 160, 333 (1870).https://doi.org/PTRSAV
5. Lord Rayleigh (J. W. Strutt), Philos. Mag. (4) 41, 107, 274 (1871); https://doi.org/PHMAA4
Lord Rayleigh, Sci. Papers I, 87 (1899).
6. Lord Rayleigh (J. W. Strutt), Philos. Mag. (5) 12, 81 (1881); https://doi.org/PHMAA4
Lord Rayleigh, Sci. Papers I, 518 (1899).
7. Lord Rayleigh (J. W. Strutt), Philos. Mag. (5) 47, 375 (1899); https://doi.org/PHMAA4
Lord Rayleigh, Sci. Papers IV, 397 (1903).
8. Lord Rayleigh (J. W. Strutt), Nature 83, 48 (1910); https://doi.org/NATUAS
Lord Rayleigh, Sci. Papers V, 540 (1912).
9. J. Cabannes, C. R. Acad. Sci. 160, 62 (1915).
10. Lord Rayleigh (J. W. Strutt), Philos. Mag. (4) 41, 447 (1891); https://doi.org/PHMAA4
Lord Rayleigh, Sci. Papers I, 104 (1899).
11. Lord Rayleigh (J. W. Strutt), Philos. Mag. (6) 35, 373 (1918); https://doi.org/PHMAA4
Lord Rayleigh, Sci. Papers VI, 540 (1920).
12. R. J. Strutt, Proc. R. Soc. London A 95, 155, (1918).
13. J. Cabannes, Ann. Physique (9) 15, 5 (1921).https://doi.org/ANPYA2
14. L. V. King, Proc. R. Soc. London A 104, 333 (1923).
15. Lord Rayleigh (R. J. Strutt), Proc. R. Soc. London A 98, 57 (1921).
16. J. Cabannes, La Diffusion Moleculaire de la Lumiere, Recueil des Conferences‐Rapports de Documentation sur la Physique, Vol. 16, Presses Universitaires de France, Paris (1929).
17. G. W. Kattawar, A. T. Young, T. J. Humphreys, Astrophys. J. 243, 1049 (1981).https://doi.org/ASJOAB
18. J. Cabannes, C. R. Acad. Sci. 186, 1201 (1928);
J. Cabannes, Y. Rocard, J. Phys. Radium (6) 10, 52 (1929).https://doi.org/JPRAAJ
19. C. Manneback, Z. Physik 62, 224 (1930) https://doi.org/ZEPYAA
and C. Manneback, 65, 574 (1930).
20. G. Placzek, E. Teller, Z Physik 81, 209 (1933).https://doi.org/ZEPYAA
21. J. Cabannes, Ann. Physique (10) 18, 285 (1932).https://doi.org/ANPYA2
22. S. Bhagavantam, Indian J. Phys. 6, 331 (1931).https://doi.org/IJPYAS
23. E. Gross, Nature 126, 201 (1930).https://doi.org/NATUAS
24. L. Landau and G. Placzek, Phys. Z. der Sowjetunion 5, 172 (1934).

More about the authors

Andrew T. Young, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.