Mueller matrix analysis of light depolarization by a linear optical medium

An attempt is made to investigate how incident light propagating through a linear non-image-forming optical device, or scattered by a linear medium is depolarized using the Mueller matrix formalism. By considering incident light in the form of pure states of polarization, we are able to show that a particular Mueller matrix decomposition is advantageous for analysis of the physical mechanisms of depolarization of light propagating through linear media. We illustrate our analysis by examining several physically realizable Mueller matrices reported in the optics literature.