Cubic B-spline based elastic and viscoelastic wave propagation method.

The requirement for high computational efficiency in inversion imaging poses challenges to further enhancing the accuracy of imaging large elastic and viscoelastic models. Considering that forward modeling serves as a prerequisite for inversion imaging, it is essential to introduce a wave propagation simulation method that can enhance simulation accuracy without significantly compromising computational speed. In our paper, cubic B-spline is introduced into the forward modeling of the wave equation. The B-spline collocation method offers a linear complexity for computation and exhibits fourth-order convergence in terms of computational errors. We also find that it can perfectly adapt to the boundary conditions of the perfectly matched layer in the forward modeling solution of the wave simulation. Several typical numerical examples, including 2-D acoustic wave equation, 2-D elastic wave propagation, and 2-D viscoelastic propagation in homogeneous media, are provided to validate its convergence, accuracy, and computational efficiency. • The B-spline collocation method (BSCM) is applied for solving wave equations in geophysics. • Unconditional stability of BSCM is proved and its numerical dispersion curves are provided. • Suitability of BSCM for ADE-PML absorption boundary is confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]