Scattering from rough surfaces using the ´shooting and bouncing rays´ (SBR) technique and comparison with the method of moments solutions

A novel approach to the rough surface scattering problem, namely the shooting and bouncing rays (SBR) technique, is described. This method is based on a combination of the geometric optics theory and the physical optics theory. A dense grid of geometric optics rays representing the incident wave is shot onto the surface and followed as the rays bounced between the irregularities of the surface. Then, in order to obtain the scattered field, the physical optics theory is used to integrate the surface fields. This technique requires the radius of curvature of the surface to be much greater than the wavelength, yet the effects of multiple scattering and shadowing are automatically included. Agreement between the SBR and method-of-moments results for both periodic and random rough surfaces has demonstrated the feasibility and the accuracy of the SBR technique.<>