Key research themes
1. How do statistical and random matrix theories describe intensity fluctuations and distributions of waves propagating through random media?
This research area investigates the statistical nature of wave intensity distribution in random media using frameworks such as random matrix theory and diagrammatic perturbation approaches. It is crucial because intensity fluctuations, including universal conductance fluctuations observed in electronic systems, have parallels in classical wave propagation, impacting the understanding of transport properties and laser speckle phenomena in disordered systems.
2. What mechanisms govern acoustic and elastic wave propagation and localization in fractured and gradient-dependent porous media?
Focused on the influence of porous matrix heterogeneities and fracture networks, these studies explore how microscopic morphology and fracture density impact wave localization, attenuation, and speed, using numerical simulations and gradient-dependent continuum models. Insights from this theme are relevant for geophysical exploration and material characterization, especially in complex fractured reservoirs and materials exhibiting localization phenomena.
3. How can analytical, numerical, and quantum field theoretical methods model electromagnetic wave propagation and transport in complex inhomogeneous and random media?
This theme encompasses modeling wave behaviors from classical electromagnetic scattering through complex random or layered media to coherent transport in disordered photonic systems, employing techniques such as finite difference time domain (FDTD), radiative transfer equation approximations, quantum field theory, and T-matrix formulations. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for applications ranging from ground-penetrating radar to random lasing and underwater optical communication.