EQUIVALENCE OF BOTTOM LOSS AND MODE ATTENUATION PER CYCLE IN UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS

The attenuation of a normal mode in one mode cycle distance and the reflection loss of a plane wave incident on the ocean bottom at the equivalent ray angle are shown to be numerically equal for deep isovelocity water over an arbitrary layered bottom. The effect of a varying sound speed in the water and of changing the number of modes is examined. The results are used to derive a new invariant expression for the mode cycle distance. © 1979, Acoustical Society of America. All rights reserved.