Efficient finite difference modeling of infrasound propagation in realistic 3D domains: Validation with wind turbine measurements

Abstract

We present a high-fidelity simulation tool for accurate acoustic modeling across a wide range of applications. The numerical method is based on diagonal-norm Summation-By-Parts (SBP) finite-difference operators, which guarantee linear stability on piecewise curvilinear multi-block grids. Realistic three-dimensional atmospheric and topographic data are directly incorporated into the simulations, and the solver is implemented in CUDA to achieve high computational efficiency. Verification is performed through convergence studies against highly resolved benchmark problems in both two and three spatial dimensions, while validation is carried out using high-quality infrasound measurements from two modern wind farms in Sweden. The results show that modern, large-scale wind turbines generate infrasound levels significantly higher than those reported for older, smaller turbines. These findings advance the understanding of the acoustic characteristics of contemporary wind turbines and provide important guidance for assessing their potential environmental and societal impacts.