The Effects of Bubble Scattering on Sound Propagation in Shallow Water

As sea waves break, a bubble layer forms beneath the sea surface. The bubble scattering affects sound propagation, thus influencing the accuracy of sound field prediction. This paper aims to investigate the effects of bubble scattering on the statistical characteristics of the sound field, the distribution of transmission loss (TL), and the average scattering attenuation in shallow water. A bubble layer model based on the bubble spectrum and a parallel Parabolic Equation (PE) model are combined to calculate and analyse the sound field in the marine environment with bubbles. The effects of the bubble layer are then compared with those of the fluctuant sea surface. The results show that the bubble scattering causes additional energy loss and random fluctuations of the sound field. The TL distribution properties and the average scattering attenuation are related to the wind speed, range, frequency, and source position relative to the negative gradient sound speed layer in shallow water. The comparison demonstrates that the random variation caused by the fluctuation of the sea surface is more significant than that caused by bubbles, and the energy loss caused by bubble scattering is more significant than the fluctuant sea surface under strong wind conditions.

Sound emission of solid surfaces through bubble layer

The analysis of the influence of a thin homogeneous bubble layer on sound emission from a solid surface is carried out. Sound pulses and monochromatic wave packets with a carrier frequency equal to the resonant frequency of the bubbles forming the bubble layer are considered. It is shown that the bubble layer transforms short sound pulses into wave sound packets and significantly reduces the amplitude of the emitted sound. The structure of a sinusoidal wave packet is transformed similarly. A long sound pulse is stored in the form of a pulse, its shape changes significantly. A homogeneous bubble layer near a solid radiating surface is an open resonator. The layer generates far-field radiation with spectral lines depending on the method of layer excitation and the internal properties of the bubble layer. The resonant frequency of the bubble is the limiting frequency in the spectrum, but it is not distinguished by a separate line.

Bubble dynamics in thin liquid films and breakup at drop impact

A bubble layer forms in a thin liquid film at drop impact on a hot surface. Bubble coalescence and instability generated by a wave are the reason for irreversible bubble bursting, leading to film breakup at contact boiling.