Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 2, 2025

Continuous-Wave Propagation Channel-Sounding Measurement System - Testing, Verification, and Measurements
Published on: June 25, 2021
The influence of irregular terrain on infrasonic propagation in the troposphere
1Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
Abstract:
The relations describing the reflection of three-dimensional acoustic ray paths impinging on a non-flat surface are derived and used to approximate the propagation of infrasonic signals over irregular terrain in the geometric limit. The influence of non-flat ground is strongest for those paths that reflect off the surface multiple times, such as those in the tropospheric waveguide; however, notable differences in source and receiver elevations for stratospheric and thermospheric paths can produce notable differences in travel times and arrival amplitudes. The interaction of ray paths with topographical features is investigated using a simple hill to demonstrate the impact of topography on propagation within an azimuthal plane, as well as cases in which the ground surface interaction deflects the path out of the azimuthal plane. Finally, broadband waveform predictions are compared with observations for an event in the western U.S., and a statistical analysis of scattering losses due to interaction with topography in the limit of geometric acoustics is used to improve the agreement between predicted and observed infrasonic signals.
Related Concept Videos
Influence of Earth's Curvature and Atmospheric Refraction on Leveling
Methods of Obtaining Topography
Propagation of Waves
Consider a scenario where a wave propagates from a string of low linear mass density to a string of high linear mass density. In such a case, the reflected wave is out of phase with respect to the incident wave, however the...
Interference: Path Lengths
Two special sources may be considered when they are in phase. This can be easily achieved by feeding the two sources from the same source. An example would be synchronizing the two speakers by feeding them with the same source, such as the sound waves produced by a tuning fork. This setup ensures that the two sources have the same frequency and are...
Boundary Layer Characteristics
Travelling Waves
Water waves, sound waves, and seismic waves are some examples of mechanical waves. For water waves, the wave propagation medium is...

