  Angular x-ray cross-correlation analysis (XCCA) is an approach to study the
structure of disordered systems using the results of coherent x-ray scattering
experiments. Here, we present the results of simulations that validate our
theoretical findings for XCCA obtained in a previous paper [M. Altarelli et
al., Phys. Rev. B 82, 104207 (2010)]. We consider as a model two-dimensional
(2D) disordered systems composed of non-interacting colloidal clusters with
fivefold symmetry and with orientational and positional disorder. We simulate a
coherent x-ray scattering in the far field from such disordered systems and
perform the angular cross-correlation analysis of calculated diffraction data.
The results of our simulations show the relation between the Fourier series
representation of the cross-correlation functions (CCFs) and different types of
correlations in disordered systems. The dependence of structural information
extracted by XCCA on the density of disordered systems and the degree of
orientational disorder of clusters is investigated. The statistical nature of
the fluctuations of the CCFs in the model `single-shot' experiments is
demonstrated and the potential of extracting structural information from the
analysis of CCFs averaged over a set of diffraction patterns is discussed. We
also demonstrate the effect of partial coherence of x-rays on the results of
XCCA.
