Photopolarimetric remote sensing is vital in fields as diverse as medical diagnostics, astrophysics, atmospheric science, environmental monitoring and military intelligence. The areas considered here include: radiative transfer; dynamic systems; backscatter polarization; biological systems; astrophysical phenomena; comets; and instrumentation. Subtopics include observational information including determining morphology and chemistry, light-scattering models, and characterization methodologies. While this introductory text highlights the latest advances in this multi-disciplinary topic, it is also a reference guide for the advanced researcher.

Inhalt

General Information.- Maxwell's Equations, Electromagnetic Waves, and Stokes Parameters.- Polarized Light Scattering by Large Nonspherical Particles.- Optimization of Numerical Inversion in Photopolarimetric Remote Sensing.- Radiative Transfer.- Eigenvalue Shifting - A New Analytical-Computational Method in Radiative Transfer Theory.- Quadratic Integrals in Inverse Problems with Multiple Scattering.- Dynamic Systems.- Polarization Fluctuation Spectroscopy.- Intensity and Polarization Fluctuation Statistics of Light Scattered by Systems of Particles.- Backscatter Polarization.- Scattering Properties of Planetary Regoliths Near Opposition.- Backscattering from Particles Near Planar Surfaces.- Backscattering Effects for Discrete Random Media: Theoretical Results.- Biological Systems.- Inverse Polarimetry, and Light Scattering from Leaves.- Optical Properties and Biomedical Applications of Nanostructures Based on Gold and Silver Bioconjugates.- Astrophysical Phenomena.- Polarization of Light by Pre-Main-Sequence Stars in the Visual Wavelengths.- Infrared Polarimetry of Interstellar Dust.- Measurements of General Magnetic Fields on Stars with Vigorous Convective Zones Using High-Accuracy Spectropolarimetry.- Polarimetry and Physics of Solar System Bodies.- Disk-Integrated Polarimetry of Mercury in 2000-2002.- Comets.- Polarimetry of Dust in the Solar System: Remote Observations, In-Situ Measurements and Experimental Simulations.- Polarimetry of Comets: Progress and Problems.- Characterization of Dust Particles Using Photopolarimetric Data: Example of Cometary Dust.- Photopolarimetry Instrumentation.- Invitation to Spectropolarimetry.- Astronomical Polarimeters and Features of Polarimetric Observations.