An Approach to Ray Optics in Anisotropic Media

Abstract

In order to interpret the surface wave pole contributions in rayoptical terms, it is shown that the group velocity of a modal surface wave in a plane-stratified, lossless, anisotropic medium is equal to the velocity of energy transport of the surface wave as a whole. Using this relation, the surface wave pole contributions are interpreted in terms of surface wave rays whose fields are locally those of modal surface waves carrying energy in the ray direction. Two examples of the effect of anisotropy on surface wave propagation are considered.