Scientists consider the ocean floor to be a two-dimensional volumetric scattering surface. In other words, sound is not only reflected off the sea floor but also from formations of rock beneath the sea floor. Also, bottom roughness can be slight or great, and the wavelength component of the reflected sound can range from microns to miles. Another problem created at the ocean bottom is one of absorption. When the bottom is composed of soft mud, sound energy is absorbed.
Absorption also occurs as sound propagates through the sea, and the energy is converted to heat.
Attenuation is the energy loss that occurs in propagated sound waves due to scattering and absorption. Integrated Publishing's Official Web Page Click here for a current index of everything on this web site. All Rights Reserved.