A stochastic response surface formulation of acoustic propagation through an uncertain ocean waveguide environment

Abstract

Stochastic basis expansions are applied to formulate and solve the problem of including uncertainty in numerical models of acoustic wave propagation within ocean waveguides. As an example, a constrained least-squares approach is used to estimate the intensity of an acoustic field whose waveguide environment has uncertainty in both source depth and sound speed. The mean intensity, a second moment of the field, and its probability distribution are computed and compared with independent Monte-Carlo computations of these quantities. Very good agreement is obtained, indicating the potential of stochastic basis expansions for describing multiple sources of uncertainty and their effect on acoustic propagation.