What is a random media? Does it mean media whose behavior is random or media whose molecular or atomic structure is random, like say the structure of a rock?
Context is everything. Where is the passage that you read? Random media often means "complex media" like granite rock which is composed of many different crystal types in all orientations, and living tissue which is usually non-crystalline and of complex structure which may be modelled by statistical techniques. (Likewise, the refraction of light through a turbulent plume of hot and cold air or the behavior of a lens which is not smoothly polished.) Truly random media would then be a complex medium that could only be modelled by statistical techniques, as contrasted with periodic media which has a macroscopic cell size, and deterministic media where functions can be written that describe the material properties with regard to position (and perhaps time). It could also mean an otherwise homegenous structure built of crystals with various sizes, shapes and orientations. http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/twrm http://books.google.com/books?id=N6iPAj6eitgC http://books.google.com/books?id=wAZnuHdEKL0C
