Abstract
An approach more fundamental than that usually taken in underwater acoustics is needed to explain one of the more striking features of the deep ocean, the constant sound speed gradient. This gradient is induced by the earth's gravitational field. The differential equation satisfied by the acoustic pressure is not the usual scalar Helmholtz wave equation. It is shown, however, that the propagation speed is given by the usual formula and, furthermore, the high-frequency behavior is the same as that predicted by the usual scalar Helmholtz equation with variable sound speed. Calculation of the sound speed gradient from the equation of state yields a gradient of 0.019 which compares favorably with the observed value of 0.018. [This work was supported by Contract N00039-71-C-0307].
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