Abstract

An algebraic subgrid scale finite element method formally equivalent to the Galerkin Least-Squares method is presented to improve the accuracy of the Galerkin finite element solution to the two-dimensional convected Helmholtz equation. A stabilizing term has been added to the discrete weak formulation containing a stabilization parameter whose value turns to be the key for the good performance of the method. An appropriate value for this parameter has been obtained by means of a dispersion analysis. As an application, we have considered the case of aerodynamic sound radiated by incompressible flow past a two-dimensional cylinder. Following Lighthill’s acoustic analogy, we have used the time Fourier transform of the double divergence of the Reynolds stress tensor as a source term for the Helmholtz and convected Helmholtz equations and showed the benefits of using the subgrid scale stabilization.