Propagation of Surface Waves at High Frequencies

An asymptotic theory is presented for the analysis of surfacewave propagation at high frequencies. The theory is developedfor scalar surface waves satisfying an impedance boundary conditionon a surface, which may be curved and, whose impedance may bevariable. A surface eikonal equation is derived for the phaseof the surface wave field, and it is shown that the wave fieldpropagates over the surface along the surface rays, which arethe characteristics of the surface eikonal equation. The wavefield in space is found by solving certain eikonal and transportequations with the aid of complex rays. The theory is then appliedto several examples: axial waves on a circular cylinder, sphericallysymmetric waves on a sphere, waves on a circular cone with avariable impedance, and waves on the plane boundary of an inhomogeneousmedium. In each case it is found that the asymptotic expansionof the exact solution agrees with the asymptotic solution.