Random matrix theory for an adiabatically-varying oceanic acoustic waveguide

TL;DR

This paper extends a random matrix theory-based method for modeling sound propagation in oceanic waveguides to include adiabatic variations, demonstrating its effectiveness through numerical validation in complex underwater environments.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized approach for acoustic wavefield modeling in adiabatically varying oceanic waveguides using stepwise approximation of the propagator.

Findings

Efficacious modeling of sound propagation in complex ocean environments.

Adiabatic variations can be incorporated into the random matrix framework.

Cold synoptic eddies significantly suppress sound scattering.

Abstract

Problem of sound propagation in the ocean is considered. A novel approach of K. Hegewisch and S. Tomsovic for statistical modelling of acoustic wavefields in the random ocean is examined. The approach is based on construction of a wavefield propagator by means of random matrix theory. It is shown that this approach can be generalized onto acoustic waveguides with adiabatic longitudinal variations. Efficient generalization is obtained by means of stepwise approximation of the propagator. Accuracy of the generalized approach is confirmed numerically for a model of an underwater sound channel crossing a cold synoptic eddy. It is found that the eddy leads to substantial suppression of sound scattering.