Propagation through a stratified ocean wave guide with random volume and surface inhomogeneities, Part I. Theory: Attenuation, dispersion, and acoustic mirages

Abstract

Analytic expressions for the mean field propagated through a stratified ocean with random volume or sufrace inhomogeneities of arbitrary size compared to the wavelength are derived from a wave guide scattering model stemming from Green’s theorem. It is found that multiple scattering through inhomogeneities in the forward direction can be succinctly expressed in terms of modal attenuation and dispersion coefficients under widely satisfied conditions. The inhomogeneities can have an arbitrary distribution in depth so that the model can realistically apply to scattering from internal waves, bubbles, fish, seafloor and seasurface roughness as well as sub-bottom anomalies. An understanding of the coherence of the forward scattered field can be gained by analogy with the formation of optical mirages in low-grazing angle forward scatter from random surfaces.