Geometrical concepts which have long been central to the Poincare sphere and Stokes vector representations are extended to include vector representations of target scattering matrices via a new derivation based on spinor algebra techniques. New results include the geometric significance of an absolute target phase, an interpretation of Graves' power scattering matrix as a four-vector, and its relationship to the complex target vector. The mathematical and physical significances of the interpretation of Stokes vector space as having a Minkowskian geometry are discussed. The consequences of Lorentz invariance are explored in an application to incoherent backscatter optimal polarimetry.
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