Quantitative scattering models of broad-band narrow-beam light through fog

A quantitative understanding about the optical scattering of medium plays an important role in many common but important application fields including optical imaging, optical communication, and optical remote sensing. In this paper, two quantitative models about single scattering and multiple scattering were established based on the different polarization properties of these two scattering processes on the condition of paraxial approximation. The related approximate explicit functions about the light scattering characteristics through fog are solved. Moreover, on the basis of scattering models, the depolarization ratio of broad-band polarized light is also measured. The physical models are demonstrated very consistent with the experimental results and Monte Carlo simulations. These works greatly simplify previous models and have a significant promotion to the study of medium scattering characteristics.