Wave propagation and scattering in time dependent media: Lippmann-Schwinger equations, multiple scattering theory, Kirchhoff Helmholtz integrals, Green's functions, reciprocity theorems and Huygens' principle

Abstract

Wave scattering plays a central role for the modeling of complex wave propagation across all corners of science and engineering applications, including electromagnetic, acoustics, seismic and scattering physics. Wave control using time interfaces, where the properties of the medium through with the wave travels rapidly change in time, has opened further opportunities to control wave propagation in both space and time. For acoustic waves, studies on time modulated media have not been reported. In this context, full numerical solution of the wave equation using time interfaces is key to fully understand their potential. When applying time interfaces, the underlying physics of acoustic wave propagation and scattering and their similar roles on time and space, are still being explored. In this work, we introduce a mathematical formulation of the Lippmann-Schwinger integral equations for acoustic wave scattering when time interfaces are induced via a change of the velocity of the medium. We demonstrate that space-time duality for acoustic wave propagation with time interfaces and derive the Lippmann-Schwinger integral equations for wave scattering in time-dependent media, multiple scattering theory, Kirchhoff Helmholtz integrals, Green's functions, reciprocity theorems. We experimentally verify our theoretical derivation by studying and measuring the acoustic wave scattering in strongly scattering media. We illustrate the proposed framework and present results of acoustic wave scattering without prior knowledge of the background wave-fields. This improves the understanding of the generation and wave scattering and opens previously inaccessible research directions, potentially facilitating practical applications for acoustic, geophysical and optical imaging.