Diffraction of an e.m. Wave by an Absorbing Circular Cylinder

Some expressions for the e.m. field diffracted by an absorbing circular cylinder of large radius in the Fresnel region are developed. Until recently results were available only for the far field of ‘good conductors’. The derived equations agree with Young's theory of diffraction since the diffracted field may be expressed as two cylindrical waves which seem to arise from the two ‘edges’ of the cylinder. Numerical calculations are also presented and compared with previous experimental results.