Timothy J. Yoder
SFA, Inc., 1401 McCormick Dr., Landover, MD 20785
Charles Gaumond
Louis R. Dragonette
Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC 20375
A finite element simulation of a hemispherically end-capped steel cylindrical shell, immersed in water, and ensonified by plane acoustic waves is shown for a frequency band from ka=2.0 to ka=6.0. The monostatic far-field acoustic scattering from this simulation is determined by the following physical processes: the quasilongitudinal wave, the shear wave, specular reflection, and wave-vector matching with the radiation medium. The time, frequency, and aspect dependence of the monostatic far-field acoustic scattering is graphically analyzed to determine the physical process or combination of processes responsible for the scattering. This analysis reveals the location on the structure that scatters energy into a particular far-field highlight, the time that the structure scatters the energy, and the frequency dependence of the scattered energy. The transport of energy down the shell and the reflection of energy from the ends of the shell are also demonstrated through this analysis.