Solution of three-dimensional multiple scattering problems by the method of difference potentials

Abstract

We propose an algorithm based on the Method of Difference Potentials (MDP) for the numerical solution of multiple scattering problems in three space dimensions. The propagation of waves is assumed time-harmonic and governed by the Helmholtz equation. The latter is approximated with 6th order accuracy on a Cartesian grid by means of a compact finite difference scheme. The shape of the scatterers does not have to conform to the discretization grid, yet the MDP enables the approximation with no loss of accuracy. At the artificial outer boundary, which is spherical, the solution is terminated by a 6th order Bayliss–Gunzburger–Turkel (BGT) radiation boundary condition. The method enables efficient solution of a series of similar problems, for example, when the incident field changes while everything else stays the same, or when the type of the scattering changes (e.g., sound-soft vs. sound-hard) while the shape of the scatterer remains the same.