Experimental tests of a theoretical method for predicting light scattering by aggregates

A recent method for predicting light scattering by random aggregates of particles is experimentally examined. This approximate method is here tested in terms of its ability to predict the effects of aggregation of latex spheres of five different sizes on nine different transmitted and scattered light fluxes. In each case two degrees of aggregation were used. For an aggregated sample, each photometric quantity was measured and compared to its counterpart for an unaggregated one. The degrees of aggregation of the samples were estimated microscopically. These data were used with the method to calculate theoretical photometric effects of aggregation. The predictions are found to agree approximately with experimental findings. The results support the method.