The present study investigates a novel method for computing scalar wave fields back-scattered by arbitrarily shaped, three-dimensional objects satisfying the criteria for the first Born approximation. Specifically, it is concentrated on the scattering of acoustic pressure waves within a fluid medium by objects characterized in terms their density and compressibility contrasts relative to the background medium. The method is developed based on the angular spectrum of plane waves theory of diffraction and leads to a formulation that lends itself to high speed Fourier transform-based techniques for numerically computing the back-scattered field as a function of distance from the object. |