Individual and aggregate scattering matrices and cross-sections: conservation laws and reciprocity

For systems of multiple spheres, we investigate in detail the 'individual' and aggregate electromagnetic scattering matrices, and their relations with conservation laces, reciprocity and the optical theorem. In order for thes e relations to adopt their simplest form, care is taken to completely extra ct both incoming and outgoing phase factors in the definitions. We illustra te that the 'individual' cross-sections in an aggregate are defined only in terms of part of the total field, and consequently do not individually obe y conservation laws or reciprocity; these relations should be satisfied for the scattering by the entire aggregate. We demonstrate that for scatterer centred transfer matrices, the conservation laws and reciprocity are automa tically satisfied regardless of whether or not sufficient multipolarities w ere retained in the description of individual scatterers. Derivations and r esults are worked out in a particularly compact and transparent formalism, including magnetic permeability contrast, and the possibility of complex po larizations.