Scattering models for the solar infrared F-corona brightness

Model calculations are made of the infrared brightness in the solar F-corona motivated by recent infrared solar eclipse observations. Two different approaches are employed to describe the scattering properties of interplanetary dust : Mie scattering theory and diffraction theory, with and without an isotropic scattering term. In addition. two different particle size distributions are used in the calculations and the resultant line of sight brightness is compared with observational data of the solar F-corona between 3 and 8 solar radii (R) in the ecliptic plane. It is found that the use of diffraction theory without an isotropic scattering contribution gives a very poor match with the observations, for both assumed particle size distributions. However, both the diffraction theory including isotropic scattering and the Mie scattering theory agree reasonably with the observed brightness, and especially its radial slope within the corona. for the model size distribution which is dominated by large particles. Only Mie theory may be employed in describing the second model size distribution because diffraction theory poorly describes the scattering due to the small particles which dominate this size distribution. It is concluded that the derivation of particle size distributions from the F-coronal brightness is still ambiguous and a further analysis needs either improved observations, or the application of further reasonable physical assumptions.