Time Splitting Methods Applied To A Nonlinear Advective Equation

Abstract

Time splitting is a numerical procedure used in solution of partial differential equations whose solutions allow multiple time scales. Numerical schemes are split for handling the stiffness in equations, i.e. when there are multiple time scales with a few time scales being smaller than the others. When there are such terms with smaller time scales, due to the Courant number restriction, the computational cost becomes high if these terms are treated explicitly. In the present work a nonlinear advective equation is solved numerically using different techniques based on a generalised framework for splitting methods. The nonlinear advective equation was chosen because it has an analytical solution making comparisons with numerical schemes amenable and also because its nonlinearity mimics the equations encountered in atmospheric modelling. Using the nonlinear advective equation as a test bed, an analysis of the splitting methods and their influence on the split solutions has been made. An understanding of influence of splitting schemes requires knowledge of behaviour of unsplit schemes beforehand. Hence a study on unsplit methods has also been made. In the present work, using the nonlinear advective equation, it shown that the three time level schemes have high phase errors and underestimate energy (even though they have a higher order of accuracy in time). It is also found that the leap-frog method, which is used widely in atmospheric modelling, is the worst among examined unsplit methods. The semi implicit method, again a popular splitting method with atmospheric modellers is the worst among examined split methods. Three time-level schemes also need explicit filtering to remove the computational mode. This filtering can have a significant impact on the obtained numerical solutions, and hence three-time level schemes appear to be unattractive in the context of the nonlinear convective equation. Based on this experience, splitting methods for the two-time level schemes is proposed. These schemes realistically capture the phase and energy of the nonlinear advective equation.