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In time reversal acoustics, the array records the incoming signal, reverses each recorded time trace, and re-emits it through the same medium. This is phase conjugation in the frequency domain. For the time-harmonic wave convention $e^{-i\omega t}$, reversing a real time trace replaces its positive-frequency wave amplitude by its complex conjugate. The medium must remain unchanged between recording and re-emission.

Let $f(\mathbf{z})={\Psi }_0(0,\mathbf{z})$ and $G_L(\mathbf{\zeta },\mathbf{z})=G(L,\mathbf{\zeta };0,\mathbf{z})$, with the chosen source and array normalizations incorporated into the Green function. Let $a(\mathbf{\zeta })\ge 0$ be the array's aperture weight, equal to the indicator of its receiving region for an ideal uniform array. The recorded field isBy wave reciprocity, back-propagation has the same Green function with the source and receiver exchanged. Therefore the physically re-emitted, back-propagated wave amplitude isIf $Hf=R$ and $P_A$ multiplies by $a$, then ${\Psi }_B=H^T{P}_A\overline{Hf}$, where $T$ denotes the transpose without conjugation. Taking a final complex conjugate instead defines the adjoint reconstruction $\overline{{\Psi }_B}=H^{\ast }{P}_{A}Hf$. This distinction prevents an erroneous conjugation in the time reversal operator.

For a localized Gaussian beam or acoustic point source in a homogeneous medium, a finite aperture admits a limited range of angles. The focal width is of order $\lambda L/A$ when $A$ denotes the aperture diameter. In a random medium, multiple scattering creates paths with a larger angular spread. Each reversed path retraces its route, and the paths interfere constructively at the source. This can produce a larger effective aperture in time reversal and a narrower focus, even though the unreversed field has a complicated speckle pattern.

This comparison concerns a homogeneous reference medium; a deterministic heterogeneous medium can also provide useful multipath propagation. Suitable scale limits or frequency and spatial averaging can make refocusing self-averaging. Such self-averaging is not automatic for every monochromatic source and every random realization. Wave absorption, changing medium parameters, unresolved paths or poor array coverage can spoil refocusing. With complete capture of the propagating modes and a lossless unitary operator $H$, ideal adjoint reconstruction is already exact in either medium. Random scattering can improve finite-aperture wave focusing through angular diversity. See the regime-dependent analysis in Statistical stability in time reversal.