A Spectral Split-Step Padé Method for Guided Wave Propagation

In this study, a Fourier-based split-step Padé (SSP) method for solving the parabolic wave equation with applications in guided wave propagation in ocean acoustics is presented. Traditional SSP implementations rely on finite-difference discretizations of the depth-dependent differential operator. This approach limits accuracy in coarse discretizations as well as computational efficiency in dense discretizations, since it does not significantly benefit from parallelization. In contrast, our proposed method replaces finite differences with a spectral representation using the discrete sine transform (DST). This enables an exact treatment of the vertical operator under homogeneous boundary conditions. For non-constant sound speed profiles, we use a Neumann series expansion to treat inhomogeneities as perturbations. Numerical experiments demonstrate the method's accuracy in range-independent and range-dependent scenarios, including propagation in deep ocean with Munk profile and in the presence of a parameterized synoptic eddy. Compared to finite-difference SSP methods, the Fourier-based approach achieves higher accuracy with fewer depth discretization points and avoids the resolution bottleneck associated with sharp field features, making it well-suited for large-scale, high-frequency wave propagation problems in ocean environments.