Mesh Optimization for the Acoustic Parabolic Equation

Abstract

This work is devoted to increasing the computational efficiency of numerical methods for the one-way Helmholtz Equation (higher-order parabolic equation) in a heterogeneous underwater environment. The finite-difference rational Padé approximation of the propagation operator is considered, whose artificial computational parameters are the grid cell sizes and reference sound speed. The relationship between the parameters of the propagation medium and the artificial computational parameters is established. An optimized method for automatic determination of the artificial computational parameters is proposed. The optimization method makes it possible to account for any propagation angle and arbitrary variations in refractive index. The numerical simulation results confirm the adequacy and efficiency of the proposed approach. Automating the selection process of the computational parameters makes it possible to eliminate human errors and avoid excessive consumption of computational resources.