Simulation of the vector wave field of a low-frequency sound source in the ocean: Some important features

Abstract

An approach to the simulation of low frequency vector wave fields in stratified media (mainly in the ocean) is considered. The approach is characterized by an improved stability with respect to dividing the medium into many layers of arbitrary thickness. The model for the sound field of a point source is based on an integral representation of two-dimensional, cylindrically symmetric vector wave fields in inhomogeneous media, so that the contributions of all types of waves are included automatically. The model medium is subdivided into N horizontally homogeneous layers for which 4(N−1) equations are formulated to satisfy the boundary conditions between adjacent layers. The method of the generalized Schmidt matrix is used to obtain the coefficients of the equations; these coefficients are substituted into the expressions (of the Fourier-Bessel integral type) for the local parameters of the field. The latter are calculated according to the numerical procedure, and the results are used to model the distributions of the acoustic pressure and the horizontal and vertical components of the particle velocity in liquid and elastic media. The instability of the calculation procedure may result in a disagreement between the model and the exact solution. However, the disagreement is shown to occur mainly in models containing excessively thick layers. A way for improving the stability of the numerical model is suggested. The simulation results are compared with the exact analytical solution for the simplest example and with the results obtained according to the commonly used generalized matrix procedure (the benchmark problem). The examples of the practical application of the model for investigating more complex seismoacoustic wave fields in the ocean are presented.