NUMERICAL SOLUTION OF THE ACOUSTIC WAVE EQUATION AT THE LIMIT BETWEEN NEAR AND FAR FIELD PROPAGATION

Abstract

The acoustic wave equation is solved numerically for two and three-dimensional systems at the limit between near and far field propagation. Our results show that for large sound velocities, corresponding to wavelengths larger than the system, near field properties are dominant. When the near field conditions are no longer satisfied, standing waves close to the sound emitters and interference patterns between the near field and far field solutions appear. Our procedure is applied to sound sources, which broadcast coherent and continuous waves as well as to sources emitting bursts of incoherent and uncorrelated waves. Both cases can be used to simulate the spreading of low frequency seismic waves observed close to volcanoes and hydrocarbon reservoirs.