The edge shadowing seen with curved interfaces is caused by

The edge shadowing seen with curved interfaces is caused by

• A. Refraction of the sound beam
• B. Diffraction
• C. Reflection
• D. Scattering

Answer: (A)

Edge shadowing around curved interfaces happens because the sound beam bends as it passes into a medium with a different propagation speed. On a curved boundary, refraction redirects the beam away from the edge, so energy that would have traveled along or near the boundary is steered elsewhere and no strong reflections return from beyond that edge. Different from diffraction or scattering, which involve spreading around obstacles or random redirection, this shadowing is the result of refraction altering the beam path at a curved interface.

Edge shadowing around curved interfaces happens because the sound beam bends as it passes into a medium with a different propagation speed. On a curved boundary, refraction redirects the beam away from the edge, so energy that would have traveled along or near the boundary is steered elsewhere and no strong reflections return from beyond that edge. Different from diffraction or scattering, which involve spreading around obstacles or random redirection, this shadowing is the result of refraction altering the beam path at a curved interface.