title: Stepwise coupled mode scattering of ambient noise by a cylindrically symmetric seamount.
abstract: The question of how underwater ambient noise, at low frequencies, interacts with seamounts is addressed. The vertical directivity of the ambient noise, with and without the seamount interaction, is of particular interest. The problem of ambient noise scattering by seamounts motivates the development of a numerical modeling procedure, based on stepwise coupled modes. The procedure is designed to analyze scattering from a cylindrically symmetric seamount. The stepwise coupled mode procedure is extended to more general boundary conditions and brought up to date in the process. An example, using the geometry of the Dickins seamount, suggests that the seamount removes energy from the steeply traveling ambient noise, for this case. The energy is not converted into angles near the horizontal; the energy is lost through bottom interaction and attenuation.
authors.affiliation: Science Applications International, Corp., 23 Clara Drive, Suite 203, Mystic, Connecticut 06355, USA.
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Evans