Features of sound propagation in the ocean with fine-structure inhomogeneities

Abstract

We analyze the results of an experiment using an explosive sound source in the tropical part of the Indian Ocean. We consider the time structure of sound signals in geometric shadow zones to a distance of 270 km and the scheme of how the sound field in the shadow zone is formed by rays reflected from horizontally extended fine-structured sound velocity layers. From the results of calculation using a wave program that realizes the method of psuedodifferential parabolic equations, we analyze the influence of signal scattering by fine-structure sound velocity inhomogeneities on the sound field distribution in a waveguide. We show that the field formed by spots of light in each of the shadow zones is generated by a regular field and propagates in parallel to it, taking energy from the regular zone in the near field and in each subsequent convergence zone. This mechanism causes an additional decrease in the field in illuminated zones, which can be interpreted as additional attenuation of the regular sound field.