Acoustic scattering from weakly coupled porous media

Abstract

In this work, wave propagation and multiple acoustic scattering from porous media are examined. For a highly porous media, the inertial coupling between solid and fluid phases can be small. In such a case the dilatational and acoustic motions will be weakly coupled. The controlling factor is the ratio of effective inertial mass density of the porous media and the fluid mass density. Using Biot’s analysis as the starting point, the dilatational and acoustic motions, as well as the scattered pressure that ensues are evaluated. The Kirchhoff-Helmholtz integral equation is used to this end. The integral equations are evaluated using a series expansion in terms of derived acoustic contrast properties. Using the local Pade approximant procedure detailed in [The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 128(5) EL274-278 (2010)]. Of particular interest, are high contrast media and wavelengths comparable to the average scatterer size.