STATISTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DISLOCATIONS OF THE PHASE FRONT OF A DETERMINISTIC SOUND FIELD IN A WAVE-GUIDE

The statistical characteristics of phase front dislocations formed dur ing waveguide sound propagation in the ocean are investigated. Express ions for the density of dislocations with charges of opposite sign, fo r the density of the total (net) dislocation charge, and for the dislo cation mobilities in the vertical and horizontal directions are derive d for a monochromatic field. The mobilities characterize the motion im parted to the dislocations by perturbations of the propagation paramet ers. Order-of-magnitude estimates and numerical results are obtained f or the depth distribution of the dislocation statistical characteristi cs in a homogeneous waveguide. An analytical relation is established b etween the distribution of the dislocation charge density and the aver age rate of change of the phase of the sound field along the horizonta l coordinate. The results have important bearing on the interpretation of phase measurements in the ocean and the design of experiments on u nderwater sound propagation.