Seismic wave propagation and scattering in the heterogeneous earth

Abstract

Soun is noght but air y-broke" -Geoffrey Chaucer end of the 14th centuryTraditionally, acoustics has formed one of the fundamental branches of physics.In the twentieth century, the field has broadened considerably and become increasingly interdisciplinary.At the present time, specialists in modern acoustics can be encountered not only in Physics Departments, but also in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Departments, as well as in Departments of Mathematics, Oceanography, and even Psychology.They work in areas spanning from musical instruments to architecture to problems related to speech perception.Today, six hundred years after Chaucer made his brilliant remark, we recognize that sound and acoustics is a discipline extremely broad in scope, literally covering waves and vibrations in all media at all frequencies and at all intensities.This series of scientific literature, entitled Modern Acoustics and Signal Processing (MASP), covers all areas of today's acoustics as an interdisciplinary field.It offers scientific monographs, graduate level textbooks, and reference materials in such areas as: architectural acoustics; structural sound and vibration; musical acoustics; noise; bioacoustics; physiological and psychological acoustics; speech; ocean acoustics; underwater sound; and acoustical signal processing.Acoustics is primarily a matter of communication.Whether it be speech or music, listening spaces or hearing, signaling in sonar or in ultrasonography, we seek to maximize our ability to convey information and, at the same time, to minimize the effects of noise.Signaling has itself given birth to the field of signal processing, the analysis of all received acoustic information or, indeed, all information in any electronic form.With the extreme importance of acoustics for both modern science and industry in mind, AIP Press is initiating this series as a new and promising publishing venture.We hope that this venture will be beneficial to the entire international acoustical community, as represented by the Acoustical Society of America, a founding member of the American Institute of Physics, and other related societies and professional interest groups.