A full wave solution for propagation in multilayered viscoelastic media with application to Gaussian beam reflection at fluid–solid interfaces

Abstract

A new solution technique for wave propagation in horizontally stratified viscoelastic media is presented. The model provides a full wave solution for the field generated by a single source as well as for that generated by a vertical source array. It allows the spatial distribution of the acoustic field to be evaluated at least one order of magnitude faster than with existing models based on the Thomson–Haskell solution technique. The computational efficiency of the numerical code is demonstrated by providing exact numerical solutions for the reflectivity pattern associated with narrow ultrasonic beams incident on a fluid–solid interface near the Rayleigh angle.