title: Backscattering target detection in a turbid medium by polarization discrimination.
abstract: We describe a method for increasing target contrast within a turbid medium by means of the polarization state of the scattered light. The backscattered Mueller matrices for various concentrations of 0.1-microm spherical scatterers were measured with and without a painted metal target. Simple discrimination based on detecting cross-polarized intensities is shown to be more effective than the use of total intensity information. As a result, the choice of polarization state is dictated primarily by the requirement to maximize depolarization at the target. This in general means that circularly polarized light is the optimum choice.
authors.affiliation: Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, St. Andrews Road, Malvern WR14 3PS, UK. gdlewis@dera.gov.uk
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Roberts