Polarized pulse waves in random discrete scatterers

In recent years there has been increasing interest in the use of polarizati on for imaging objects in a cluttered environment. Examples are optical ima ging through clouds, optical detection of objects in a biological medium, a nd microwave detection of objects in clutter. We extend previous studies of continuous-wave scattering to pulse-polarization scattering in discrete sc atterers. We solve the time-dependent vector radiative transfer equation fo r a plane-parallel medium by using Mie scattering and the discrete ordinate s method. The time-dependent degree of polarization and cross-polarization discrimination are calculated and verify the advantages of circular over li near polarization in maintaining greater copolarized components rather than cross-polarized components. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.