Light scattering from deformed droplets and droplets with inclusions. I. Experimental results

We provide experimental results from the scattering of light by deformed li quid droplets and droplets with inclusions. The characterization of droplet deformation could lead to improved measurement of droplet size as measured by commercial aerodynamic particle-sizing instruments. The characterizatio n of droplets with inclusions can be of importance in some industrial, occu pational, and military aerosol monitoring situations. The nozzle assembly f rom a TSI Aerodynamic Particle Sizer was used to provide the accelerating f low conditions in which experimental data were recorded. A helium-neon lase r was employed to generate the light-scattering data, and an externally tri ggered, pulsed copper vapor laser provided illumination for a droplet imagi ng system arranged orthogonal to the He-Ne scattering axis. The observed dr oplet deformation correlates well over a limited acceleration range with th eoretical predictions derived from an analytical solution of the Navier-Sto kes equation. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 290.0290, 290 .5820, 290.5850.