Anomalous Transparency of Water-Air Interface for Low-Frequency Sound

Oleg A. Godin
Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 164301 – Published 17 October 2006

Abstract

Sound transmission through a water-air interface is normally weak because of a strong mass density contrast. We show that the transparency of the interface increases dramatically at low frequencies. Almost all acoustic energy emitted by a sufficiently shallow monopole source under water is predicted to be radiated into air. Increased transparency at lower frequencies is due to the increasing role of inhomogeneous waves. For sources symmetric with respect to a horizontal plane, transparency is further increased by a destructive interference of direct and surface-reflected waves under water. The phenomenon of anomalous transparency has significant geophysical and biological implications.

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  • Received 1 June 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.164301

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Oleg A. Godin*

  • CIRES, University of Colorado and NOAA/Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA

  • *Electronic address: Oleg.Godin@noaa.gov

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Vol. 97, Iss. 16 — 20 October 2006

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