Modeling of reflection coefficient fluctuation from measured seafloor roughness

Bottom roughness measurements were made in conjunction with acoustic reflection measurements to determine the effects of incoherent scattering on the mean value and fluctuations of the reflection coefficient over a wide range of angles. A number of methods are available for modeling the fluctuation of the received signal, hence the reflection coefficient. Numerical methods, such as the finite element method, are certainly possible given the short distances involved in this experiment. However, for better insight into the physics, analytical methods are preferred. In this study, the analysis is based on the second moment of pressure amplitude, as formulated by Tolstoy and Clay.