Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the analysis of the absorption, scattering, and extinction of a homogeneous sphere when it is surrounded by two different media, as opposed to the typical application of Mie theory which deals with a single medium. Participants explore whether an analytic solution exists for this modified scenario.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- One participant questions the configuration of the two different media surrounding the sphere, asking if they form shells or if the sphere is divided horizontally between two media.
- Another participant clarifies that one half of the sphere is embedded in a substrate while the upper half is in air or vacuum.
- A suggestion is made to potentially add additional boundary conditions to the equations referenced in a specific section of a linked document to find a suitable solution, or alternatively to derive from Maxwell's equations.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants have not reached a consensus on the approach to take for analyzing the sphere in two different media, and multiple viewpoints regarding the configuration and potential solutions remain present.
Contextual Notes
The discussion does not resolve the mathematical steps necessary for deriving a solution, nor does it clarify the implications of the boundary conditions mentioned.