Theory Behind The Wave:160 FD Codes

J.B.F.

January 22, 2001

This short do ument outlines the equations solved and the methods used
within the GP 160 1D Waves pa kage. Basi information on nite-dieren e
methods is available within many texts on numeri al analysis although my fa-
vorite des riptions are in two uid dynami s texts [2℄ [1℄. The odes detailed
are a o1dvv d and a o1dvvvd.
1 a o1dvv d.m

a o1dvv d solves the a ousti (s alar) wave equation for 1D media with spa-
tially varying velo ity but onstant density,
2p 2p
 

t2
= 2 x2 (1)
where p is pressure, and is wave velo ity as a fun tion of x. A entral
dieren e operator is used to dis retize both the time and spa e derivatives in
equation (1) and we assume uniform sampling in spa e and time,
2p p +1 2p + p 1
x 2 = i

x2
i i
(2)
The equivalent operator for the rst derivative is,
p
x
= p +12
xp 1
i i
(3)
Substitution of operator (2) and solution for the pressure eld at time n + 1
yields a onditionally stable nite-dieren e s heme of 2nd order in spa e and
time,
=

xt2 p +1 2p + p 1 + 2p p 1
 2 2
p
n +1 n n n n n
(4)
i i i i i i

where subs ripts indi ate spatial nodes and supers ripts notate time steps.
Stability onstraints an be derived using Von Neuman analysis. a o1dvv d
uses paraxial absorbing boundary onditions (ABCs) at x = 0 and x = max(i)
ans uses a ri ker wavelet as a sour e.
1
2 a o1dvvvd.m

a o1dvvvd solves the a ousti (s alar) wave equation for 1D media with spa-
tially varying velo ity and density,
 1 p
  
2p 2
t2
=  x  x
(5)
where the additional variable, , is density. By using entered dieren es to
evaluate the inner derivative at lo ations i + 21 and i 12 , we an then use these
values to solve for the outer spatial derivative at lo ation i. To determine values
for  at half-way points we use a simple average. The resulting s heme is again
2nd order in spa e and time,

= 2
x
2 t
 2 2   p +1 p   p p 1 
n n n n
pni +1 i i i i
+ 2p p 1 (6)
n n
 +1 + 
i i  + 1
i i
i i

Boundary and initial onditions for a o1dvvvd are the same as a o1dvv d.
Referen es

[1℄ D.R. Durran. Numeri al Methods for Wave Equations in Geophysi al Fluid
Dynami s. Springer-Verlag, 1999.
[2℄ J.H. Ferziger and M. Peri . Computational Methods For Fluid Dynami s.
Springer Verlag, 1996.