ABSTRACT
CH A P T E R 1 Introduction
Wave propagation is an exciting area that has far-reaching applications in all branches of science and engineering. We see things and hear only because of waves. Electromagnetic waves have applications ranging from FM radios, TVs mobile phones to X-ray machines. Sound travels as waves through air. When an artist plays violin, guitar or mandolin, standing waves are created in the vibrating musical column, which produce a pressure change or sound wave, which makes the sound audible. Wave propagation phenomena occur in many other diverse disciplines. For example, waves can propagate in solid surfaces, such as the earth surfaces (for example, in earthquakes or in bulk solids, as in the case of metallic body). Throwing a stone in a pool of water causes circular ripples normally called circularly crested water waves. A different kind of water waves occurs during a Tsunami wherein the shock waves produced can capsize large ships and uproot buildings and other crucial infrastructure. Hence, we see that waves propagating in a media can have both beneficial as well as devastating effects.
