Surface Wave Excitation and Propagation

A geometrical theory is developed for the analysis of surface wave excitation and propagation. The surfaces along which the surface waves propagate may be either curved or flat, and may have either constant or variable properties. The theory is based on the concept of a complex or imaginary ray. The excitation coefficient which enters the theory is determined from the solution of a canonical problem—that of a line source over an impedance plane. Then the theory is applied to the surface wave excited by a line source, on a wedge with variable surface impedance. The result agrees precisely with the asymptotic form of the exact solution. Another application is made to the surface wave excited on a cylinder by a line source. The result also agrees with the exact solution.