Reflection of sound from a randomly layered ocean bottom

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This paper investigates the sensitivity of the plane-wave reflection coefficient to the small-scale random layering in turbidite sediment. A Monte Carlo algorithm is used to generate many numerical realizations of a finely layered stochastic turbidite model. The complex reflection coefficient R is computed for each realization so that a distribution of R values is produced at each frequency and grazing angle. The scatter in the R values is a measure of the sensitivity of R to small-scale turbidite layering. Below 100–200 Hz, R is relatively insensitive to the details of the layering; at higher frequencies the detailed layering is important. To a rough approximation, the sensitivity to layering is independent of the grazing angle. The lack of sensitivity to small-scale layering for f<100–200 Hz indicates that long wavelengths ’’average out’’ the fine structure and suggests that R can be calculated at low frequencies from a ’’smooth’’ geoacoustic model (i.e., a model with no small-scale layering). For f≳100–200 Hz, the reflection coefficient is sensitive to small-scale turbidite layering and hence cannot be accurately calculated from a smooth model.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: