A wavefront-based Gaussian beam method for computing high frequency wave propagation problems

We present a novel wavefront method based on Gaussian beams for computing high frequency wave propagation problems. Unlike standard geometrical optics, Gaussian beams compute the correct solution of the wave field also at caustics. The method tracks a front of two canonical beams with two particular initial values for width and curvature. In a fast postprocessing step, from the canonical solutions we recreate any other Gaussian beam with arbitrary initial data on the initial front. This provides a simple mechanism to include a variety of optimization processes, including error minimization and beam width minimization, for a posteriori selection of optimal beam initial parameters. The performance of the method is illustrated with two numerical examples.