A global search tool for the equivalent source method and its applications to the scattering problem

Abstract

Low computational‐cost solutions to the acoustic scattering problem can be obtained with the equivalent source method (ESM), provided the sources are adequately positioned. Because this last point represents often a complicated task ‐ mainly responsible for the not much widespread use of the method ‐ a technique that hurdles this difficulty, called ESGA, has been previously proposed (Gounot and Musafir, Internoise 2004). Based on a combination of genetic algorithm with ESM, the ESGA is a global search tool that provides, given a set of monopoles, their 'optimal' positioning and complex amplitudes. The technique efficiency is here shown through a number of three‐dimensional scattering problems. The algorithm is also used in order to identify, for each of the different cases considered, typical geometrical arrangements of monopoles which provide good solutions.