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The DORT method uses eigenvectors of a time reversal operator to focus on individual point scatterers. A separate nonzero eigenvalue corresponds to each scatterer in the ideal weak-scattering, well-resolved limit; coherent overlap and multiple scattering can change this correspondence.

Let $H$ be the measured wave scattering response> linear operator, with direct background propagation removed if present. Its time reversal operator is the positive operator $T=H^{\ast }H$. For a normalized emitted signal $h$,The maximizing signal is a right singular vector, equivalently an eigenvector of $T$ with its largest eigenvalue. This is a precise intensity statement independent of a scatterer model.

Under the Born approximation for scalar wave scattering, neglect interactions between point scatterers and writewhere $b_j$ is the receiver response to scatterer $j$, $c_j^{\ast }h$ is its illumination by the source array, and ${\alpha }_j$ is its scattering wave amplitude. Well-resolved point scatterers have approximately orthogonal vectors $b_j$ and $c_j$. In the ideal orthogonal limit,Thus the most reflective, geometrically weighted scatterer gives the largest eigenvalue, and its normalized steering vector $c_j/\Vert c_j\Vert$ gives the corresponding wave focusing signal. If illumination and reception factors are equal for all scatterers, this is precisely the scatterer with largest $|{\alpha }_j{|}^2$. Geometric size by itself is not the quantity being ranked.

Repeated adjoint time reversal acoustics is power iteration on $T$. If its top eigenvalue is simple and the initial signal has a nonzero component along its eigenvector, thenA tied largest eigenvalue leaves a combination in the leading eigenspace, and an initial signal orthogonal to that eigenspace cannot excite it. This is the basis of the DORT method. Mere physical separation is insufficient if the array cannot resolve the scatterers; coherent steering-vector overlap or multiple scattering can mix the modes. Also, if $H$ includes unrestricted homogeneous transmission, its largest eigenvalue need not identify any individual scatterer. The correspondence concerns the resolved wave scattering response>. The ideal correspondence and selective wave focusing are analyzed by Prada and Fink.