INHOMOGENEOUS ABSORPTION AND GEOMETRIC ACOUSTICS

The conventional formulation of geometric acoustics in the presence of inhomogeneous (spatially varying) absorption is examined. This formul ation is found to fail under conditions of multipath propagation, beca use interference between ray paths is not taken into account when the absorptive losses are calculated. The example of high-frequency attenu ation due to a surface bubble layer is studied, and Weston's correctio n term is discussed. (C) 1998 Acoustical Society of America. [S0001-49 66(98)03003-3].