Low-frequency scattering from cylindrical structures at oblique incidence

Classical Rayleigh scattering theory is extended to the case of a homogeneous dielectric cylinder of arbitrary cross section whose transverse dimensions are much smaller than the wavelength. By assuming that the surface fields can be approximated by those of the infinite cylinder, the far zone scattered field is expressed in terms of polarizability tensors, whose properties are discussed. Numerical results are presented for circular, semicircular, triangular, and square cylinders. The results are applicable to the remote sensing of twigs, stalks, and vegetation needles at centimeter and millimeter wavelengths.