wavesuch

Wavesuch is a term used in speculative discussions of wave-based information processing to denote a proposed class of phenomena in which wave propagation, interference, and scattering are harnessed to locate or identify information embedded in a complex medium. The term is often used in the context of optics and acoustics, where wavefields can be shaped and measured to reveal hidden targets or features.

Conceptually, wavesuch relies on solving inverse problems for wave equations. Models describe a source generating a field that propagates through a heterogeneous environment, with the recorded field carrying encoded clues about the target. Reconstruction techniques may combine phase retrieval, time-reversal methods, and data-driven algorithms to extract spatial or spectral information from measured wavefields.

In practice, wavesuch remains largely theoretical or experimental within specialized laboratories. It overlaps with related ideas such as holography, wavefront shaping, and compressed sensing, but emphasizes the role of dynamically interacting wavefields in search-like tasks rather than constructing explicit images from static projections.

Potential applications include imaging through opaque media, subsurface sensing, and robust communication in cluttered channels. Challenges include sensitivity to noise, model mismatch, and the need for precise wave control and calibration.

See also: holography, wavefront shaping, inverse problems, time-reversal acoustics, compressed sensing, optical imaging.