Split fields and direction of propagation for the solution to first-order systems of equations

The standard wave-splitting approach for the wave equation in inhomogeneous media is first reexamined. Next, by analogy with the theory of wave propagation through singular surfaces, a characterization is given for a function in space-time to represent a wave propagating in a direction. The condition is applied in connection with a simple example and found to be quite restrictive. The same problem is then considered in the Fourier-transform domain where the unknown function is an n-tuple satisfying a system of ordinary differential equations. The condition for propagation in a direction is established for the Fourier components. Next, some physical problems are considered which are expressed by partial differential equations or by integro-differential equations. The associated first-order system of equations is examined in terms of the eigenvalues of a matrix. This shows that, for any eigenvalue, the direction of propagation may change with the frequency and that arguments about the dominance of the principal part of the operator may cease to hold.