Short-wave modes for wave ducts in quasi-stratified media (Q1058388)

Wave propagation in a nonhomogeneous medium is considered when the wave properties are slowly varying in horizontal planes. A generalization of the WKB method is developed which expresses the amplitude function and the eikonal function as perturbation expansions. The method is applied to acoustic and internal gravity waves in fluids, both in wave ducts of limited vertical extent and in wave propagation over the whole depth of the fluid. The wave field near the caustic of horizontal rays is examined also.