Spectra of light depolarized by scattering in the isotropic phases of certain liquid crystals

Measurements have been made on the spectra of the depolarized component of the Rayleigh scattering in the isotropic phase for two nematic liquid crystals; the temperature dependence of the anisotropy relaxation time $\tau$ has been derived. These $\tau$ data are compared with those from other sources, and it is concluded that the main contribution to the depolarized component comes from rapid rotation in the liquid-crystal molecules around their long axes.