Coupled-mode separation of multiply scattered wavefield components in two-dimensional waveguides

For a waveguide that is invariant in one of the horizontal directions, this paper presents a mathematically exact partial-wave decomposition of the wavefield for assessment of multiple scattering by horizontally displaced medium anomalies. The decomposition is based on discrete coupled-mode theory and combination of reflection/transmission matrices. In particular, there is no high-frequency ray approximation. Full details are presented for the scalar case with plane-wave incidence from below. An application of interest concerns ground motion induced by seismic waves, which may be severely amplified by local medium anomalies such as alluvial valleys. Global optimization techniques are used to design an artificial medium termination at depth for a normal-mode representation of the field. A derivation of a horizontal source array to produce an incident plane wave gives, as a by-product, an extension of a previous Fourier-transform relation involving Bessel functions. Like purely numerical methods, such as finite differences and finite elements, the method can handle all kinds of (two-dimensional) anomaly shapes.