Group classification of eikonal equations for the wave equation in inhomogeneous media (Q812285)

For equations describing acoustic and electromagnetic waves in inhomogeneous media \[ m(x,y,z)\frac{\partial^2 u}{\partial t^2}=\text{div}(p(x,y,z) \text{grad}\;u) \] the front of a wave is defined as the level surface \(\psi(x,y,z)=t\) of a solution \(\psi(x,y,z)\) of the equation of characteristics \((\nabla\psi)^2=\frac{1}{v^2(x,y,z)}\), \(v^2(x,y,z)=p(x,y,z)/m(x,y,z)\). The author gives the group analysis classification of the family of the last equation. In some cases with linear and quadratic functions \(v(x,y,z)\), having the sense of the wave speeds in the medium, he presents explicit solutions (eikonals of point sources) with a complete description of the geometry of rays.