Light scattering by composite particles comparable with wavelength and their approximation by systems of spheres

Scattering properties of an ensemble of independent, randomly-oriented systems consisting of two contacting wavelength-sized dielectric particles of spherical and random shapes are studied. The optical properties of such ensembles are shown to be determined, to a considerable degree, by the properties of individual components of the system; the role of collective effects is insignificant. For large scattering angles, systems consisting of two spheres form the negative branch of the degree of linear polarization when an individual sphere also forms it, and when systems composed of equivalent particles of random shape do not exhibit the negative branch. The conclusion is made that the modeling of the scattering properties of aspherical and aggregate particles by using systems of spheres of size of the order of the optical wavelength is inadequate.