ELECTROMAGNETIC SCATTERING FROM A GROUP OF THIN CONDUCTING CYLINDERS

Solutions are given for the problem of scattering of plane waves from an arbitrary number of vertical columns that are thin in terms of the incident wavelength. The electric properties of the cylinders are take n as homogenous and isotropic but otherwise arbitrary, and the inciden t electric field vector is taken to be parallel to the axis of the cyl inders. The scattering solution for individual columns is described, w hich is used to introduce that for multiple columns under the Born app roximation. A more general approach is presented that leads to a solut ion which includes multiple scattering (coupling) between the cylinder s. Comparison is made between this solution for a ring of cylindrical elements and one that treats the scattering from the ring as a whole. The theory described here is now being extended and applied to the sca ttering from vertical ionized columns known as ''sprites''. These are associated with lightning discharges between the ionosphere and cloud tops.