Deep Ocean Ray Tracing for Acoustic Propagation Visualization Using Ray Acoustics Theory

In marine acoustics research, plotting deep ocean acoustic ray paths is crucial work that enables intuitive understanding of sound wave propagation through complex underwater environments. This article presents fundamental principles and technical considerations for implementing deep ocean ray tracing based on ray acoustics theory, including key algorithmic implementations.

Ray acoustics theory treats sound waves as rays traveling along specific directions, analogous to light rays in geometrical optics. Under the horizontal stratification assumption, seawater is divided into multiple horizontal layers with consistent sound velocity characteristics in each layer. This approach particularly suits deep ocean environments, which typically exhibit distinct vertical stratification structures. In code implementation, this involves creating a layered sound velocity profile data structure and implementing layer-boundary detection algorithms.

The core of ray tracing implementation lies in solving Snell's Law. When sound waves traverse water layers with different sound velocities, their propagation paths bend according to the sound velocity ratio between adjacent layers. The program must accurately compute refraction angles at each layer interface using trigonometric calculations and iterative solvers to determine sound wave trajectories. Code implementation typically involves vector mathematics for direction updates and step-wise propagation algorithms.

For sea surface and seabed boundaries, different reflection scenarios must be considered including total reflection and partial reflection. The sea surface is typically modeled as a perfect reflector, while seabed reflections involve more complex acoustic impedance matching calculations. Boundary condition handlers in the code must manage these scenarios using reflection coefficient calculations and impedance matching algorithms to ensure physically accurate ray behavior at boundaries.

Complete ray diagram generation requires tracing multiple rays with different initial angles. These ray bundles demonstrate spatial distribution patterns from the source point, facilitating analysis of acoustic energy propagation characteristics. Through adjustable initial emission angles and tracing step sizes, the implementation balances computational accuracy and efficiency. The code typically employs parallel processing or optimized looping structures for efficient multi-ray tracing.

This ray acoustics-based ray tracing methodology finds extensive applications in underwater communications, sonar system design, and ocean environment monitoring.它不仅能够预测声波传播路径 through numerical simulation, but also helps researchers understand underwater acoustic channel properties, providing theoretical foundations for optimizing underwater detection and communication systems. The implementation often includes visualization modules for generating interactive ray diagrams and export functions for further analysis.