Abstract
This paper is devoted to the continualization of a diatomic lattice, taking into account natural intervals of wavenumber changes. Continualization refers to the replacement of the original pseudo-differential equations by a system of PDEs that provides a good approximation of the dispersion relations. In this regard, the Padé approximants based on the conditions for matching the values of the dispersion relations of the discrete and continuous models at several characteristic points are utilized. As a result, a sixth-order unconditionally stable system with modified inertia is obtained. Appropriate boundary conditions are formulated. The obtained continuous approximation accurately describes the amplitude ratios of neighboring masses. It is also shown that the resulting continuous system provides a good approximation for the natural frequencies.