The reflected signal from Rayleigh scatterers increases to the ____ of the frequency.

The reflected signal from Rayleigh scatterers increases to the ____ of the frequency.

• A. first power
• B. second power
• C. third power
• D. fourth power

Answer: (D)

Rayleigh scattering occurs when scatterers are much smaller than the wavelength, so each particle acts like a tiny dipole driven by the incident field. The induced dipole radiates, and the radiated field amplitude grows with the square of the frequency. Since the scattered power is proportional to the square of the field, it ends up scaling as frequency to the fourth power. In other words, the reflected signal from Rayleigh scatterers increases with the fourth power of the frequency.

Rayleigh scattering occurs when scatterers are much smaller than the wavelength, so each particle acts like a tiny dipole driven by the incident field. The induced dipole radiates, and the radiated field amplitude grows with the square of the frequency. Since the scattered power is proportional to the square of the field, it ends up scaling as frequency to the fourth power. In other words, the reflected signal from Rayleigh scatterers increases with the fourth power of the frequency.