Abstract
The nonlinear propagation of acoustic pulses from a point source of an explosive character (surface explosion or volcano) throughout the atmosphere with stratified wind-velocity and temperature inhomogeneities is studied. The nonlinear distortions of acoustic pulse and its transformation into an N-wave during its propagation to the upper atmosphere are analyzed in the context of a modified Burgers’ equation which takes into account a geometric ray-tube divergence simultaneously with an increase in both nonlinear and dissipative effects with height due to a decrease in atmospheric density. The problem of reflection of a spherical N-wave from an atmospheric inhomogeneous layer with model vertical wind-velocity and temperature fluctuations having a vertical spectrum that is close to that observed within the middle atmosphere is considered. The relation between the parameters (form, length, frequency spectrum, and intensity) of signals reflected from an atmospheric inhomogeneous layer and the parameters of the atmospheric fine layered structure at reflection heights is analyzed. The theoretically predicted forms of signals reflected from stratified inhomogeneities within the stratosphere and the lower thermosphere are compared to the observed typical forms of both stratospheric and thermospheric arrivals from surface explosions and volcanoes in the zones of an acoustic shadow.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
I. P. Chunchuzov, S. N. Kulichkov, O. E. Popov, R. Waxler, and J. Assink, “Infrasound scattering from atmospheric anisotropic inhomogeneities,” Izv., Atmos. Ocean. Phys. 47(5), 540–557 (2011).
S. N. Kulichkov, K. V. Avilov, O. E. Popov, et al., “Some results of simulation of long-range infrasonic propagation in the atmosphere,” Izv., Atmos. Ocean. Phys. 40(2), 202–215 (2004).
A. Le Pichon, E. Blanc, and A. Hauchecorne, Infrasound Monitoring for Atmospheric Studies (Springer, New York, 2010).
L. Liszka, C.-F. Enell, and T. Raita, “Infrasound in the atmosphere—towards a new propagation model,” InfraMatics 24, 1–14 (2009).
S. N. Kulichkov, “Acoustic sounding of inhomogeneous structures in the middle atmosphere,” Izv., Atmos. Ocean. Phys. 34(1), 1–6 (1998).
S. N. Kulichkov, G. A. Bush, A. I. Svertilov, “New type of infrasonic arrivals in the geometric shadow region at long distances from explosions,” Izv., Atmos. Ocean. Phys. 38(4), 397–402 (2002).
S. A. Smith, D. C. Fritts, and T. E. van Zandt, “Evidence of a saturated spectrum of atmospheric gravity waves,” J. Atmos. Sci. 44(10), 1404–1410 (1987).
D. C. Fritts and M. J. Alexander, “Gravity wave dynamics and effects in the middle atmosphere,” Rev. Geophys. 41(1), 1–64 (2003). doi 10.1029/2001RG000106
V. N. Filinov and G. P. Chernyi, “On the possibility of determination of sound speed profile by the hydrolocation method,” Akust. Zh. 33(4), 761–765 (1987).
L. C. Sutherland and H. E. Bass, “Atmospheric absorption in the atmosphere at high altitudes,” in Proc. of the 7th Symp. On Long-Range Sound Propagation, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, France (Lyon, 1996).
L. K. Zarembo and I. P. Chunchuzov, “On the sound beam in an inhomogeneous medium with a weakly varying sound speed,” Akust. Zh. 23(1), 143–145 (1977).
O. V. Rudenko, “Nonlinear sawtooth-shaped waves,” Phys.-Usp. 38(9), 965–990 (1995).
S. N. Kulichkov, “Conservation of “Acoustic momentum” during long-range infrasonic propagation in the atmosphere,” Izv., Atmos. Ocean. Phys. 38(5), 582–587 (2002).
R. O. Cleveland, J. P. Chambers, H. E. Bass, et al., “Comparison of computer codes for the propagation of sonic boom waveforms through isothermal atmospheres,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 100(5), 3017–3027 (1996).
D. G. Crighton and I. P. Lee-Bapty, “Spherical nonlinear wave propagation in a dissipative stratified atmosphere,” Wave Motion 15(4), 315–331 (1992).
L. A. Ostrovskii, E. N. Pelinovskii, and V. E. Fridman, “Propagation of finite-amplitude waves in an inhomogeneous medium with caustics,” Akust. Zh. 22(6), 914–921 (1976).
O. V. Rudenko and S. I. Soluyan, Theoretical Fundamentals of Nonlinear Acoustics (Nauka, Moscow, 1975).
V. A. Gusev and R. A. Zhostkov, “Profiles of strong pulse signals propagating vertically upward in the stratified atmosphere,” in Proc. of the 22th Session of the Russian Acoustical Society (Geos, Moscow, 2010), pp. 135–138 [in Russian].
E. E. Gossard and W. H. Hooke, Waves in the Atmosphere (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1975).
L. M. Brekhovskikh and O. A. Godin, Acoustics of Layered Media (Nauka, Moscow, 1989).
I. P. Chunchuzov, “On the nonlinear shaping mechanism for gravity wave spectrum in the atmosphere,” Ann. Geophys. 27, 4105–4124 (2009).
I. P. Chunchuzov, “On the high-wavenumber form of the eulerian internal wave spectrum in the atmosphere,” J. Atmos. Sci. 59(5), 1753–1772 (2002).
E. I. Gordeev, V. N. Chebrov, S. N. Kulichkov, et al., “Monitoring of explosive volcano eruptions in kamchatka and the kuriles islands on acoustic data from IMS and KBGS RAS stations,” Presentation at the Conference CTBT, Science and Technology, June 8–10, 2011, Vienna, Austria (PTS CTBTO, Vienna, 2011).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Original Russian Text © I.P. Chunchuzov, S.N. Kulichkov, P.P. Firstov, 2013, published in Izvestiya AN. Fizika Atmosfery i Okeana, 2013, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 285–297.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chunchuzov, I.P., Kulichkov, S.N. & Firstov, P.P. On acoustic N-wave reflections from atmospheric layered inhomogeneities. Izv. Atmos. Ocean. Phys. 49, 258–270 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001433813020060
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001433813020060