Regularization of boundary integral equations in the problems of wave field diffraction by curved boundaries

A regularization of the exact Fredholm integral equations for the field or its derivative on a scattering surface is proposed. This approach allows one to calculate the scattering or diffraction of pulsed wave fields by curved surfaces of arbitrary geometry. Mathematically, the method is based on the replacement of the exact Fredholm integral equations by their truncated analogs, in which the contributions of the geometrically shadowed regions are cancelled. This approach has a clear physical meaning and provides stable solutions even when the direct numerical solution of mathematically exact initial integral equations leads to unstable results. The method is mathematically substantiated and tested using the problem of plane-wave scattering by a cylinder as an example. (c) 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.