Embedding uncertainty into ocean acoustic propagation models

A probabilistic formalism is proposed for the direct inclusion of environmental uncertainty into an acoustic model that describes propagation in an ocean waveguide. Incomplete environmental knowledge is characterized by a spectral representation of uncertainty using expansions of random processes in terms of orthogonal random polynomials. A brief summary of the method is presented and a set of coupled differential equations describing the propagation of both the acoustic field and its associated uncertainty is derived for the case where the uncertain environment is attributed to a lack of complete information concerning the waveguide's sound speed distribution.