Computational Aeroacoustics (CAA) is a relatively young research area. It began in earnest fewer than twenty years ago. During this time, CAA algorithms have developed rapidly. These methods soon found applications in many areas of aeroacoustics.

The objective of CAA is not simply to develop computational methods, but also to use these methods to solve real practical aeroacoustics problems. It is also a goal of CAA to perform numerical simulation of aeroacoustic phenomena. By analyzing the simulation data, an investigator can determine noise generation mechanisms and sound propagation processes. Hence, CAA offers a way to obtain a better understanding of the physics of a problem.

Computational Aeroacoustics is not the same as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). In fact, CAA faces a different set of computational challenges, because aeroacoustics problems are intrinsically different from standard aerodynamics and fluid mechanics problems. By definition, aeroacoustics problems are time dependent, whereas aerodynamics and fluid mechanics problems are, in general, time independent or involve only low-frequency unsteadiness.