Regional distinctions in the time structure of the sound field produced by a point source in the underwater sound channel

Experimental data on long-range propagation of explosion-generated signals in different ocean regions are analyzed. The objective of the analysis is to reveal the regional distinctions in the time structure of the sound fields in the underwater sound channel and to demonstrate the following frequently observed phenomena: splitting of signals in the "classical" quartets, noise background in the quartets, and deviation of the frequency-independent phase shift between signals in the quartets from the expected value (a multiple of 90 degrees) due to the contact with a caustic. Possible mechanisms of these phenomena are discussed.