Surface reverberation at sound field focusing in shallow water

A numerical experiment is carried out to study the long-range surface reverberation in the presence of intense surface waves for the case of using vertical transmitting arrays providing sound field focusing at different depths. To focus the field, a phase conjugation of acoustic waves from a probe source positioned at the focusing point is used. It is demonstrated that surface waves considerably affect the focusing quality at a distance of several tens of kilometers from the transmitting array. This prevents the efficient suppression of long-range reverberation by increasing the focusing depth.     

Time reversal versus phase conjugation in a multiple scattering environment

We present experimental results on the reversibility of ultrasound in a multiple scattering medium. An ultrasonic pulsed wave is transmitted from a point source to a 128-element receiving array through 2D samples with various thickness. The samples consist of random collections of parallel steel rods immersed in water. The scattered waves are recorded, time reversed and sent back into the medium. The time-reversed waves are converging back to their source and the quality of spatial and temporal focusing on the source is related to the second-order moments of the scattered wave (correlation) in time and in space. Experimental results show that it is possible to obtain a robust estimation of the correlations on a single realisation of disorder, taking advantage of the wide frequency bandwidth. The spatial resolution of the system is only limited by the correlation length of the scattered field, and no longer by diffraction. Moreover, successful time-reversal focusing using a single element instead of an array is possible, whereas a one-channel monochromatic phase conjugation fails. The efficiency of broad-band time reversal compared to monochromatic phase conjugation lies in the number of 'information grains' in the frequency bandwidth.     

Reverberation of Wideband Signals in Shallow Water when Using Sound Focusing

Within the framework of the normal mode approximation, expressions are obtained for calculating bottom reverberation signals recorded by a horizontal array in an inhomogeneous shallow-water waveguide in a wide frequency band. These expressions can be used to simulate bottom-scattered signals both for a monostatic and bistatic geometry, as well as in the case when sound focusing is applied. The constructed model is used to numerically study the structure of bottom reverberation in a waveguide with different parameters and characteristics of the receiver and source systems. The considered bottom inhomogeneities are the slope of the bottom, change in thermocline depth, and wind waves. The study demonstrates the promise of using sound focusing as time reversal using a single receiver–transmitter element to enhance the reverberation signal arriving from a given bottom area.     

一种基于模态提取的深度和距离可变的时反聚焦方法

提出了一种基于模态提取的深度和距离同时可变的时反聚焦方法。首先,通过模态提取方法从时反阵列接收的探测信号中提取出波导中传播的模态函数信息,并且进一步地从中获得一个包含探测声源深度信息的对角阵以及一个包含探测声源距离信息的向量;然后,利用模态提取获得的信息对探测声源深度信息矩阵和距离信息向量进行调整,重新构造出时反阵列的一个接收声场向量信息,使得时反发射声场聚焦的深度和距离发生变化。这种方法克服了传统时反处理只能在探测声源位置聚焦的局限性,通过对探测声源深度信息矩阵和探测声源距离向量信息进行适当的调整,可以将时反发射的声场聚焦到探测声源以外的某个期望位置上。针对典型浅海波导环境,通过计算机仿真试验验证了该方法的有效性。      

Frequency dependence and intensity fluctuations due to shallow water internal waves

A theory and experimental results for sound propagation through an anisotropic shallow water environment are presented to examine the frequency dependence of the scintillation index in the presence of internal waves. The theory of horizontal rays and vertical modes is used to establish the azimutal and frequency behavior of the sound intensity fluctuations, specifically for shallow water broadband acoustic signals propagating through internal waves. This theory is then used to examine the frequency dependent, anisotropic acoustic field measured during the SWARM'95 experiment. The frequency dependent modal scintillation index is described for the frequency range of 30-200 Hz on the New Jersey continental shelf.     

Time-reversed waves and super-resolution

Time-reversal mirrors (TRMs) refocus an incident wavefield to the position of the original source regardless of the complexity of the propagation medium. TRMs have now been implemented in a variety of physical scenarios from GHz microwaves to MHz ultrasonics and to hundreds of Hz in ocean acoustics. Common to this broad range of scales is a remarkable robustness exemplified by observations at all scales that the more complex the medium (random or chaotic), the sharper the focus. A TRM acts as an antenna that uses complex environments to appear wider than it is, resulting for a broadband pulse, in a refocusing quality that does not depend on the TRM aperture.Moreover, when the complex environment is located in the near field of the source, time-reversal focusing opens completely new approaches to super-resolution. We will show that, for a broadband source located inside a random metamaterial, a TRM located in the far field radiated a time-reversed wave that interacts with the random medium to regenerate not only the propagating but also the evanescent waves required to refocus below the diffraction limit. This focusing process is very different from that developed with superlenses made of negative index material only valid for narrowband signals. We will emphasize the role of the frequency diversity in time-reversal focusing. To cite this article: M. Fink et al., C. R. Physique 10 (2009).     

经颅超声聚焦方法和声场特性研究

基于高分辨的CT数据建立了非均匀颅骨仿真模型,该模型引入了颅骨的声衰减系数,深入研究和分析了声波时间反转法和超声相控阵法在颅脑中的聚焦方法及效果。颅骨具有较强的声波衰减特性,使用时间反转聚焦时需要进行幅度补偿,对于0.7MHz的频率信号,幅度补偿后的时间反转聚焦声场主瓣宽度窄、旁瓣低,焦点处声场比无幅度补偿的时间反转法提高8.86dB,比超声相控阵聚焦法提高7.89dB,具有很好的空间聚焦精度和聚焦效率。研究了颅骨衰减系数、声场焦点位置、声波频率、换能器阵列位置和方位等参数对聚焦声场的影响,结果表明,幅度补偿时间反转法比相控阵法具有更低的旁瓣,且高频时的聚焦效果比相控阵好,相控阵聚焦对换能器阵列的位置和方位比较敏感,而时间反转经颅超声聚焦对声传播路径和入射角具有更高的鲁棒性。      

Phase fluctuations of focused low-frequency sound fields in shallow water

Numerical experiments are carried out to study the phase fluctuations of a focused low-frequency sound field on an oceanic shelf. The focusing of sound at a distance of several kilometers is simulated using the phase conjugation of sound waves. Perturbations of the medium are represented by high-frequency (>1 cph) background internal waves and by the wind waves on the ocean surface. It is shown that, for a focused sound field at frequencies of several hundreds of hertz, the phase fluctuations do not exceed π and can be measured against the background of acoustic noise typical of shallow-water regions of the ocean. The fluctuation magnitude can be reduced approximately by half through the optimal choice of the mode composition. In the presence of such fluctuations, it is possible to measure the relative variations of the length of a stationary acoustic path with an accuracy of 1 m or better at a wind speed no greater than 10 m/s and a typical intensity of background internal waves.     

Focusing of acoustic fields in a randomly inhomogeneous waveguide by using the time reversal method

We perform theoretical analysis of the method of field focusing in a randomly inhomogeneous waveguide using reradiation of the received signal with time reversal. The simplest case where point sources and receivers are used for emission and reception is considered. As an example, the waveguide is chosen which simulates an underwater sound channel with refractive-index fluctuations caused by random internal waves. In underwater acoustics, the considered method of field focusing is usually applied at relatively short distances that are shorter than or about 10 km. This work deals with much longer paths, along which sound waves propagate under conditions of well-developed ray and wave chaos. Main attention is given to studying the width of the focal spot and the field amplitude at its center. It is shown that the amplitude distribution in the vertical section of the focal spot and the peak amplitude value at its center can be estimated analytically using the stochastic ray theory.     

Long-range reverberation in a randomly inhomogeneous shallow water with the use of focused radiation

The low-frequency bottom reverberation in a randomly inhomogeneous shallow water is investigated within the framework of a numerical experiment using vertical transmitting arrays focusing the acoustic field at various distances from the sea bottom. It is assumed that the main source of sound velocity fluctuations in the medium is represented by background internal waves. To focus the field, a phase conjugation of acoustic waves from a probe source positioned at the focusing point is used. It is demonstrated that the reverberation level is mainly determined by the presence of internal waves and may vary by 5–20 dB as the distance from the focusing point to the sea bottom increases up to H/2, where H is the channel depth.     

基于薄膜编码超表面的宽频超薄声散射体

该文提出了一种基于薄膜编码超表面的宽频超薄声散射体。利用附加质量块的薄膜和空气腔组成的薄膜结构构建了反射声波相位差接近180°的两种共振单元。将两种共振单元按照一定的顺序进行排列,可以组成深亚波长尺寸下的声学超表面。所构建的声学超表面可以产生宽频有效的散射声场。通过有限元仿真软件对多个频率的近场散射声场分布、远场声指向性和扩散系数进行了仿真计算,仿真结果显示,该散射体可以高效地散射入射声波,并且散射效果在一定的频率范围内是宽频有效的。     

浅海矢量声场干涉结构形成机理及试验研究

浅海低频声场的微观结构特征在于具有可用波导不变量表征的 稳定空间-频率干涉结构.声场兼具标量场和矢量场, 波导条件下二者联合决定声场的全部特性. 本文研究浅海声场空频干涉结构的矢量场特征. 理论分析了声压谱、动能密度谱、声强流谱等矢量场干涉结构的形成机理, 探讨了矢量场干涉结构的波导不变量表征, 数值仿真研究了Pekeris波导中能量和能流密度的干涉特性, 进行了宽带声源辐射矢量声场干涉特性及表征的海上试验.实测结果与理论、仿真分析有较好的一致性. 研究结果表明: 中近程和中远程声场均能模态相干, 有稳定的空频干涉结构, 并且矢量声场空频干涉结构存在多种形式, 除各种能量和能流密度谱图外, 相干系数谱也呈现干涉特征, 这些形式的空频干涉结构均可用波导不变量理论有效表征. 关键词： 矢量声场 干涉结构 波导不变量 浅海低频声场     

The wave equation with viscoelastic attenuation and its application in problems of shallow-sea acoustics

A suitable tool for the simulation of low frequency acoustic pulse signals propagating in a shallow sea is the numerical integration of the nonstationary wave equation. The main feature of such simulation problems is that in this case the sound waves propagate in the geoacoustic waveguide formed by the upper layers of the bottom and the water column. By this reason, the correct dependence of the attenuation of sound waves in the bottom on their frequency must be taken into account. In this paper we obtain an integro-differential equation for the sound waves in the viscoelastic fluid, which allows to simulate the arbitrary dependence of acoustic wave attenuation on frequency in the time domain computations. The procedure of numerical solution of this equation based on its approximation by a system of differential equations is then considered and the methods of artificial limitation of computational domain are described. We also construct a simple finite-difference scheme for the proposed equation suitable for the numerical solution of nonstationary problems arising in the shallow-sea acoustics.     

A numerical halynometry experiment on an acoustic path in the Arctic ocean

It is shown that, in the Arctic-type deep-water waveguide, the first water mode can be used for acoustic halynometry at frequencies of about 40 Hz and higher. For this task, the stochastic sound scattering by the ice cover and the frequency dispersion of modes are the interfering factors. The data of numerical modeling are presented for the levels of the regular and stochastic components of the pseudo-noise signal and for the impulse response of the waveguide to narrow-band and broadband transmissions. To suppress the stochastically scattered component of the sound field, one can use a horizontal extended array. However, choosing the experimental site in a region with a mainly smooth ice cover may be more advantageous. It is shown that the frequency band of the received signal can be broadened by introducing a frequency-time correction of the propagation time of the first mode as a function of the sound frequency.     

The coherence of low-frequency sound in shallow water in the presence of internal waves

The coherence time and transverse coherence length of a low-frequency (100–300 Hz) sound field that is formed by an omnidirectional point source at a distance of 10–30 km in a shallow-water acoustic waveguide, which is characteristic of an open ocean shelf, were estimated analytically and in a numerical experiment. An anisotropic field of background internal waves is considered as a source of spatiotemporal fluctuations. It is shown that the coherence time decreases as the frequency increases, and strongly depends on the perturbation-movement direction. The transverse coherence length is primarily determined by phase incursions that are related to the cylindrical shape of the acoustic-wave front. In the case of transverse propagation, background internal waves may lead to significant variations in this length. The introduction of compensating phase corrections during processing provides a considerable increase in the average transverse coherence length.     

时间反演聚焦经颅磁声电刺激仿真与实验研究*

无创脑神经调控技术是生物医学领域的研究热点,经颅磁声电刺激是利用静磁场和声场的耦合而产生的感应电场作用于神经组织,对大脑的目标位置进行刺激和调控的一项技术。颅骨的存在使超声在传播过程中发生相位畸变和幅值衰减,聚焦区域偏离,难以实现精准聚焦。该文基于时间反演法,模拟颅内点声源发射脉冲以及超声传播过程,计算各个阵元接收到的时间差,按照后到先发的原则发射脉冲进行聚焦刺激。与传统相控阵聚焦相比,焦点偏移现象基本得到解决,焦域横向、纵向分辨率均有所提高,提高了声束聚焦精度和感应电场峰值。通过搭建实验平台,将两种聚焦方法所测得的声场归一化处理,验证了时间反演法能补偿焦点偏移,并通过实验证实了超声换能器声场和产生感应电场分布存在较高的一致性。基于真实颅脑结构的虚拟点源时间反演聚焦可以实现无创、精准、灵活的经颅磁声电刺激,有助于推动精准神经调控技术的发展。     

时间反演电磁波在金属丝阵列媒质中的超分辨率聚焦

本文利用一种已有的金属丝阵列结构, 验证了时间反演技术的时空聚焦特性, 并证明了在该阵列结构中, 时间反演电磁波具有超分辨率聚焦特性. 利用金属丝阵列能为凋落波提供传播渠道这一特性, 通过改变信号对时间反演镜的激励方式, 得到了多种亚波长异地成像的仿真结果. 本文的分析和仿真结果证实了利用时间反演技术, 可以采用传统的材料和设备, 在远场实现超分辨率聚焦成像, 并能在多个位置实现对源信号的提取和分析. 关键词： 时间反演 金属丝阵列 超分辨率聚焦 异地成像     

Determination of the Source Bearing in a Waveguide by Using the Sound Field Interference Pattern

The feasibility of determining the source bearing in a waveguide by an extended horizontal line array with the use of the sound field interference pattern is studied. The sound field is generated by an omnidirectional monochromatic point source and is represented as a sum of modes. The case of a small number of lowfrequency modes is considered.     

Temporal coherence of acoustic signals in a fluctuating ocean

Temporal coherence of acoustic signals propagating in a fluctuating ocean is important for many practical applications and has been studied intensively experimentally. However, only a few theoretical formulations of temporal coherence exist. In the present paper, a three-dimensional (3D) modal theory of sound propagation in a fluctuating ocean is used to derive closed-form equations for the spatial-temporal coherence function of a broadband signal. The theory is applied to the analysis of the temporal coherence of a monochromatic signal propagating in an ocean perturbed by linear internal waves obeying the Garrett-Munk (G-M) spectral model. In particular, the temporal coherence function is calculated for propagation ranges up to 10(4) km and for five sound frequencies: 12, 25, 50, 75, and 100 Hz. Then, the dependence of the coherence time (i.e., the value of the time lag at which the temporal coherence decreases by a factor of e) on range and frequency is studied. The results obtained are compared with experimental data and predictions of the path-integral theory.     

Acoustic normal mode fluctuation statistics in the 1995 SWARM internal wave scattering experiment

In order to understand the fluctuations imposed upon low frequency (50 to 500 Hz) acoustic signals due to coastal internal waves, a large multilaboratory, multidisciplinary experiment was performed in the Mid-Atlantic Bight in the summer of 1995. This experiment featured the most complete set of environmental measurements (especially physical oceanography and geology) made to date in support of a coastal acoustics study. This support enabled the correlation of acoustic fluctuations to clearly observed ocean processes, especially those associated with the internal wave field. More specifically, a 16 element WHOI vertical line array (WVLA) was moored in 70 m of water off the New Jersey coast. Tomography sources of 224 Hz and 400 Hz were moored 32 km directly shoreward of this array, such that an acoustic path was constructed that was anti-parallel to the primary, onshore propagation direction for shelf generated internal wave solitons. These nonlinear internal waves, produced in packets as the tide shifts from ebb to flood, produce strong semidiurnal effects on the acoustic signals at our measurement location. Specifically, the internal waves in the acoustic waveguide cause significant coupling of energy between the propagating acoustic modes, resulting in broadband fluctuations in modal intensity, travel-time, and temporal coherence. The strong correlations between the environmental parameters and the internal wave field include an interesting sensitivity of the spread of an acoustic pulse to solitons near the receiver.