This thesis considers the effect of scattering on the sound radiation from rotating sources. The study is carried out using a combined numerical implementation of ray acoustics and the paraxial ray approximation. A detailed description of the theoretical background to these methods is presented, along with a description of their numerical implementation. Application of the method to classical problems is considered to prove the accuracy and the power of the approach.

Application of the method to some typical problems involving scattering of noise from propellers and rotors is presented. It is found that for impulsive acoustic signatures the scattering effects are important especially in the sideline direction from a helicopter fuselage. The effects of sharp edges on the steady loading noise from tilt-rotor configurations indicates that there is a new mechanism for generating impulsive acoustic signatures caused by scattering by sharp edges of the fuselage. The acoustic signatures generated by this mechanism can appear very similar to other types of impulsive source generated by aerodynamic interactions on the blade and therefore must be important. This type of source can be eliminated if the fuselage has rounded edges.

Flow effects on scattering problems have also been considered. It was shown that the flow causes a modification and displacement of the lobes of the directivity pattern and the shadow zone, which can be important at Mach numbers greater than 0.2.

The main conclusion of this thesis is that scattering effects cannot be ignored for highly directional rotating sources next to rigid scattering objects as is always the case for propellers and helicopters rotors.