I am modelling extinction cross-section of scatterer in COMSOL. When I give refractive index x+i*y for scatterer, the calculated scattering cross-section is negative and absorption cross-section is positive. If I change refractive index x-i*y, then scattering cross-section is positive but absorption cross-section is negative. How to understand these parameters?
Thanks
Mahendar
I have no idea! What is happening when your refractive index just real valued?
Hi Yuri,
Thanks for reply. When refractive index is just a number, then scattering cross-section is positive and absorption cross-section is zero. So, extinction cross-section is equal to scattering cross-section.
Thanks
Mahendar
I do not have a direct answer to your question, but I'll encourage you to think it up (out of the box) and may be you can come up with a new theory. Remember, negative energy eigenvalues in the solutions of Dirac equation led him to theory of positron and brought him a Nobel Prize. In the words of Chung Kim of department of Physics and Astronomy, the Johns Hopkins University, Dirac got Nobel Prize because he could take square roots. See my paper, "Physics make the Deaf and the Dumb Equations of Mathematics to Speak" http://www.ngds-ku.org/Papers/C25.pdf
Prof. Dr. Syed Arif Kamal
Professor and Chairman
Department of Mathematics
University of Karachi
What Gu said seems very plausible. You may like to look at the phenomenon of inverse Compton effect, in which an electron gives energy to an incoming photon.
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