Testing a new multiple light scattering phase function using RWMCS

In biological suspensions the forward light scattering is done mainly by the contribution of the suspended cells. The multiple scattering is almost always unavoidable, its contribution being described either Monte Carlo simulations or by approximate analytical formula. A main challenge is to produce an analytical expression that accurately describes the multiple light scattering anisotropy. The Monte Carlo approach, embedded in the RWMCS code, moves one photon at a time and checks all scattering centers to find, at each simulation step, which one will scatter the photon. The validation of the simulation results is performed by comparing the obtained angular distribution with the predictions of the theoretical calculations reported in the literature and with the angle resolved experimental measurements performed on human red blood cells (RBCs) in suspensions at different hematocrit values. RWMCS is used further on to verify the predictions of two new effective phase function recently published. The results show a good agreement in the small RBC concentration range.