Polarization properties of light multiply scattered by non-spherical Rayleigh particles

Multiple scattering of incoherent polarized light propagating through a ran dom medium comprised of spheroidal Rayleigh particles is studied using Mont e Carlo simulations. Two approaches are taken for the implementation of the simulation: the first uses individual realizations of particle orientation and the second, an accelerated method, averages over the particle orientat ion. These different methods produce results that are indistinguishable wit hin statistical errors. The depolarization of light is examined in both tra nsmission and backscatter for media comprised of spheroids of different pol arizability ratios. In media containing spheroidal particles the depolariza tion is greater than that for spherical particles. Media containing prolate spheroids are more depolarizing than media comprising oblate particles of the same polarizability ratio. The extra depolarization due to asphericity is much less pronounced in the multiple scattering regime than for single s cattering.