High-performance computation toward large-scale underwater acoustics modelling

Abstract

The complex nature of the ocean has long presented a challenge for researchers in the field of oceanography, including in the area of underwater acoustics. As a result, significant efforts have been made to develop accurate numerical models to better understand and study the ocean. Established models such as Acoustic Toolbox and Range-dependent Acoustic Models have proven to be effective for modelling sound propagation. However, these models were designed to run on single-core computers, and there is potential to optimise their performance on modern systems. The use of General-purpose graphics processing units (GPGPUs) and Single Instruction/Multiple Data (SIMD) computing units is one way to achieve this optimization. In addition to improving the computational speed of established models, these optimized models can also contribute to implementing more sophisticated modelling approaches, such as broad-band modelling. In this study, we will discuss the optimized performance of established codes, particularly those based on parabolic equation methods (PE), and also discuss the results of advanced modelling techniques.