Electromagnetic Waves Depolarization in Multiply Scattering Media

Multiple scattering of polarization radiation in a discordered medium with large-scale inhomogeneities can be represented as independent propagation of three basic modes a scalar mode (intensity), linearly and circularly polarization modes. Propagation of each mode is described by a separate transport equation. Depolarization of a linearly polarized wave is shown to due to the Rytov rotation of the polarization plane and to occur simultaneously with isotropization of the radiation over directions. The results obtained are in good agreement with data of experiments and numerical simulation and allow one to explain the experimentally observed difference in depolarization between linearly and circularly polarized waves.