Much work has been reported on attempting to identify spores from their spectral signatures. Since spores are also complex scattering objects, with a layered internal refractive index structure, it makes sense to explore the possibility of making an identification simply from a scattering pattern or from anticipated scattering characteristics combined with a spectral signature. Models for scattering from simple geometrical coated shapes have been developed and recently Bragg spheres and onion-ring resonator-like scatterers in the Mie regime have received considerable attention driven by other applications. Also, our own group has recently advanced a method for inverting scattered field data from strongly scattering penetrable targets. We present here some very early considerations of the convergence of these possibilities and suggest some simple experiments that might advance our understanding of spore detection and identification.

Date Published: 11 May 2007
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 6554, Chemical and Biological Sensing VIII, 65540M (11 May 2007); doi: 10.1117/12.719542

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6554:
Chemical and Biological Sensing VIII
Augustus W. Fountain III, Editor(s)