Horizontal Refraction of Acoustic Waves in Shallow-Water Waveguides Due to an Inhomogeneous Bottom Structure

Three-Dimensional (3-D) sound propagation in a shallow-water waveguide with a constant depth and inhomogeneous bottom is studied through numerical simulations. As a model of inhomogeneity, a transitional region between an acoustically soft and hard bottom is considered. Depth-averaged transmission loss simulations using the "horizontal rays and vertical modes " approach and mode parabolic equations demonstrate the horizontal refraction of sound in this region, even if the water column is considered homogeneous. The observed wave effect is prominent at low frequencies, at which the water depth does not exceed a few acoustic wavelengths. The obtained results within the simplified model are verified by the simulations for a real seabed structure in the Kara Sea.