Evaluation of Electromagnetic Fields of Extremely Low-Frequency Horizontal Electric Dipoles at Sea–Air Boundaries

Abstract

The technologies of undersea detection and communication, seabed sensor networks, and geophysical detection using electromagnetic waves have emerged as research focal points within the field of marine science and engineering. However, most studies have focused on the propagation of electromagnetic fields over long distances within the shallow “sea-seabed” environment. This paper introduces a quasi-static approximation method to address the Sommerfeld numerical integration challenge within the near-field region, employing the horizontal electric dipole (HED) as a model. It derives the Sommerfeld numerical integral expressions under conditions where the wave-number ratio at the “seawater-air” boundary does not adhere to the requirement of |k0/k1| << 1 (where subscripts 0 and 1 denote seawater and air media, respectively). Building upon this, the paper simplifies the Bessel-Fourier infinite integral term within the integral expression to obtain Sommerfeld numerical integral approximations for the propagation of electromagnetic fields in the near region of extremely low frequency (ELF) within seawater. The study further conducts simulations and calculations to determine amplitude variations in electromagnetic field intensity generated by an ELF HED at different frequencies, dipole heights, and observation point depths. It concludes with an analysis of electromagnetic field propagation characteristics at the seawater-air boundary. Experimental findings highlight the lateral wave as the primary mode of electromagnetic wave propagation at this interface.