An accurate boundary value problem solver applied to scattering from cylinders with corners

In this paper we consider the classic problems of scattering of waves from perfectly conducting cylinders with piecewise smooth boundaries. The scattering problems are formulated as integral equations and solved using a Nystr\"om scheme where the corners of the cylinders are efficiently handled by a method referred to as Recursively Compressed Inverse Preconditioning (RCIP). This method has been very successful in treating static problems in non-smooth domains and the present paper shows that it works equally well for the Helmholtz equation. In the numerical examples we specialize to scattering of E- and H-waves from a cylinder with one corner. Even at a size kd=1000, where k is the wavenumber and d the diameter, the scheme produces at least 13 digits of accuracy in the electric and magnetic fields everywhere outside the cylinder.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figure

Numerical methods for computing Casimir interactions

We review several different approaches for computing Casimir forces and related fluctuation-induced interactions between bodies of arbitrary shapes and materials. The relationships between this problem and well known computational techniques from classical electromagnetism are emphasized. We also review the basic principles of standard computational methods, categorizing them according to three criteria---choice of problem, basis, and solution technique---that can be used to classify proposals for the Casimir problem as well. In this way, mature classical methods can be exploited to model Casimir physics, with a few important modifications.Comment: 46 pages, 142 references, 5 figures. To appear in upcoming Lecture Notes in Physics book on Casimir Physic

An efficient high-order algorithm for acoustic scattering from penetrable thin structures in three dimensions

This paper presents a high-order accelerated algorithm for the solution of the integral-equation formulation of volumetric scattering problems. The scheme is particularly well suited to the analysis of “thin” structures as they arise in certain applications (e.g., material coatings); in addition, it is also designed to be used in conjunction with existing low-order FFT-based codes to upgrade their order of accuracy through a suitable treatment of material interfaces. The high-order convergence of the new procedure is attained through a combination of changes of parametric variables (to resolve the singularities of the Green function) and “partitions of unity” (to allow for a simple implementation of spectrally accurate quadratures away from singular points). Accelerated evaluations of the interaction between degrees of freedom, on the other hand, are accomplished by incorporating (two-face) equivalent source approximations on Cartesian grids. A detailed account of the main algorithmic components of the scheme are presented, together with a brief review of the corresponding error and performance analyses which are exemplified with a variety of numerical results