Discrete maximum principle for interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin methods

A class of linear elliptic operators has an important qualitative property, the so-called maximum principle. In this paper we investigate how this property can be preserved on the discrete level when an interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin method is applied for the discretization of a 1D elliptic operator. We give mesh conditions for the symmetric and for the incomplete method that establish some connection between the mesh size and the penalty parameter. We then investigate the sharpness of these conditions. The theoretical results are illustrated with numerical examples.     

Monotone schemes for a class of nonlinear elliptic and parabolic problems

We construct monotone numerical schemes for a class of nonlinear PDE for elliptic and initial value problems for parabolic problems. The elliptic part is closely connected to a linear elliptic operator, which we discretize by monotone schemes, and solve the nonlinear problem by iteration. We assume that the elliptic differential operator is in the divergence form, with measurable coefficients satisfying the strict ellipticity condition, and that the right-hand side is a positive Radon measure. The numerical schemes are not derived from finite difference operators approximating differential operators, but rather from a general principle which ensures the convergence of approximate solutions. The main feature of these schemes is that they possess stencils stretching far from basic grid-rectangles, thus leading to system matrices which are related to M-matrices.     

Discrete maximum principle for the finite element solution of linear non-stationary diffusion–reaction problems

The maximum principle is one of the basic characteristic properties of solutions of second order partial differential equations of parabolic (and elliptic) types. The preservation of this property for solutions of corresponding discretized problems is a very natural requirement in reliable and meaningful numerical modelling of various real-life phenomena (heat conduction, air pollution, etc.). In the present paper we analyse a full discretization of a quite general class of linear parabolic equations and present sufficient conditions for the validity of a discrete analogue of the maximum principle in the case when bilinear finite elements are used for discretization in space.     

Aleksandrov–Bakelman–Pucci maximum principles for a class of uniformly elliptic and parabolic integro-PDE

We prove generalized Aleksandrov–Bakelman–Pucci maximum principles for elliptic and parabolic integro-PDEs of Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman–Isaacs types, whose PDE parts are either uniformly elliptic or uniformly parabolic. The proofs of these results are based on the classical Aleksandrov–Bakelman–Pucci maximum principles for the elliptic and parabolic PDEs and an iteration procedure using solutions of Pucci extremal equations. We also provide proofs of nonlocal versions of the classical Aleksandrov–Bakelman–Pucci maximum principles for elliptic and parabolic integro-PDEs.     

On the existence of maximum principles in parabolic finite element equations

In 1973, H. Fujii investigated discrete versions of the maximum principle for the model heat equation using piecewise linear finite elements in space. In particular, he showed that the lumped mass method allows a maximum principle when the simplices of the triangulation are acute, and this is known to generalize in two space dimensions to triangulations of Delauney type. In this note we consider more general parabolic equations and first show that a maximum principle cannot hold for the standard spatially semidiscrete problem. We then show that for the lumped mass method the above conditions on the triangulation are essentially sharp. This is in contrast to the elliptic case in which the requirements are weaker. We also study conditions for the solution operator acting on the discrete initial data, with homogeneous lateral boundary conditions, to be a contraction or a positive operator.

     

A deterministic‐control‐based approach to fully nonlinear parabolic and elliptic equations

We show that a broad class of fully nonlinear, second‐order parabolic or elliptic PDEs can be realized as the Hamilton‐Jacobi‐Bellman equations of deterministic two‐person games. More precisely: given the PDE, we identify a deterministic, discrete‐time, two‐person game whose value function converges in the continuous‐time limit to the viscosity solution of the desired equation. Our game is, roughly speaking, a deterministic analogue of the stochastic representation recently introduced by Cheridito, Soner, Touzi, and Victoir. In the parabolic setting with no u‐dependence, it amounts to a semidiscrete numerical scheme whose timestep is a min‐max. Our result is interesting, because the usual control‐based interpretations of second‐order PDEs involve stochastic rather than deterministic control. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A maximum principle for combinatorial Yamabe flow

This article studies a discrete geometric structure on triangulated manifolds and an associated curvature flow (combinatorial Yamabe flow). The associated evolution of curvature appears to be like a heat equation on graphs, but it can be shown to not satisfy the maximum principle. The notion of a parabolic-like operator is introduced as an operator which satisfies the maximum principle, but may not be parabolic in the usual sense of operators on graphs. A maximum principle is derived for the curvature of combinatorial Yamabe flow under certain assumptions on the triangulation, and hence the heat operator is shown to be parabolic-like. The maximum principle then allows a characterization of the curvature as well was a proof of long term existence of the flow.     

Existence and uniqueness of the solution for the bidomain model used in cardiac electrophysiology

We study the well-posedness of the bidomain model that is commonly used to simulate electrophysiological wave propagation in the heart. We base our analysis on a formulation of the bidomain model as a system of coupled parabolic and elliptic PDEs for two potentials and ODEs representing the ionic activity. We first reformulate the parabolic and elliptic PDEs into a single parabolic PDE by the introduction of a bidomain operator. We properly define and analyze this operator, basically a non-differential and non-local operator. We then present a proof of existence, uniqueness and regularity of a local solution in time through a semigroup approach, but that applies to fairly general ionic models. The bidomain model is next reformulated as a parabolic variational problem, through the introduction of a bidomain bilinear form. A proof of existence and uniqueness of a global solution in time is obtained using a compactness argument, this time for an ionic model reading as a single ODE but including polynomial nonlinearities. Finally, the hypothesis behind the existence of that global solution are verified for three commonly used ionic models, namely the FitzHugh–Nagumo, Aliev–Panfilov and MacCulloch models.     

On the SQH Scheme to Solve Nonsmooth PDE Optimal Control Problems

A sequential quadratic Hamiltonian (SQH) scheme for solving different classes of nonsmooth and nonconvex partial differential equation (PDE) optimal control problems is investigated considering seven different benchmark problems with increasing difficulty. These problems include linear and nonlinear PDEs with linear and bilinear control mechanisms, nonconvex, and discontinuous costs of the controls, L¹ tracking terms, and the case of state constraints. The SQH method is based on the characterization of optimality of PDE optimal control problems by the Pontryagin’s maximum principle (PMP). For each problem, a theoretical discussion of the PMP optimality condition is given and results of numerical experiments are presented that demonstrate the large range of applicability of the SQH scheme.     

On the refined maximum principle for degenerate elliptic and parabolic problems

We extend the refined maximum principle in [H. Berestycki, L. Nirenberg, S.R.S. Varadhan, The principal eigenvalue and the maximum principle for second-order elliptic operators in general domains, Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 47 (1994) 47–92] to degenerate elliptic and parabolic equations with unbounded coefficients. Then we discuss the well-posedness of the corresponding Dirichlet boundary value problems.     

Carleman estimates for the regularization of ill-posed Cauchy problems

This work is a survey of results for ill-posed Cauchy problems for PDEs of the author with co-authors starting from 1991. A universal method of the regularization of these problems is presented here. Even though the idea of this method was previously discussed for specific problems, a universal approach of this paper was not discussed, at least in detail. This approach consists in constructing of such Tikhonov functionals which are generated by unbounded linear operators of those PDEs. The approach is quite general one, since it is applicable to all PDE operators for which Carleman estimates are valid. Three main types of operators of the second order are among them: elliptic, parabolic and hyperbolic ones. The key idea is that convergence rates of minimizers are established using Carleman estimates. Generalizations to nonlinear inverse problems, such as problems of reconstructions of obstacles and coefficient inverse problems are also feasible.     

An ADI Petrov–Galerkin method with quadrature for parabolic problems

We propose and analyze a fully discrete Laplace modified alternating direction implicit quadrature Petrov–Galerkin (ADI‐QPG) method for solving parabolic initial‐boundary value problems on rectangular domains. We prove optimal order convergence results for a restricted class of the associated elliptic operator and demonstrate accuracy of our scheme with numerical experiments for some parabolic problems with variable coefficients.© 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2009     

An efficient approach for the numerical solution of the Monge-Ampère equation

In this paper, we present a new method to compute the numerical solution of the elliptic Monge-Ampère equation. This method is based on solving a parabolic Monge-Ampère equation for the steady state solution. We study the problem of global existence, uniqueness, and convergence of the solution of the fully nonlinear parabolic PDE to the unique solution of the elliptic Monge-Ampère equation. Some numerical experiments are presented to show the convergence and the regularity of the numerical solution.     

Numerical implementation of iteration processes applied in the study of nonlinear boundary value problems of the theory of elasticity and filtration

Nonlinear elastic problems for hardening media are solved by applying the universal iteration process proposed by A.I. Koshelev in his works on the regularity of solutions to quasilinear elliptic and parabolic systems. This requires numerically solving a linear elliptic system at each step of the iteration procedure. The method is numerically implemented in the MATLAB environment by using its PDE Toolbox. A modification of the finite-element procedure is suggested in order to solve a linear algebraic system at each iteration step. The computer model is tested on simple examples. The same nonlinear problems are also solved by the method of elastic solutions, which consists in replacing the Laplace operator in the universal iteration process by the Lamé operator of linear elasticity. As is known, this iteration process converges to a weak solution of the nonlinear problem, provided that the displacements are fixed on the boundary. The method is tested on examples with stresses on the boundary. The third part of the paper is devoted to the nonlinear filtration problem. General properties of the iteration process for nonlinear parabolic systems have been studied by A.I. Koshelev and V.M. Chistyakov. The numerical implementation is based on slightly modified PDE Toolbox procedures. The program is tested on simple examples.     

PDE triangular Bézier surfaces: Harmonic, biharmonic and isotropic surfaces

We approach surface design by solving second-order and fourth-order Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). We present many methods for designing triangular Bézier PDE surfaces given different sets of prescribed control points and including the special cases of harmonic and biharmonic surfaces. Moreover, we introduce and study a second-order and a fourth-order symmetric operator to overcome the anisotropy drawback of the harmonic and biharmonic operators over triangular Bézier surfaces.     

The generalized Dirichlet–Neumann map for linear elliptic PDEs and its numerical implementation

A new approach for analyzing boundary value problems for linear and for integrable nonlinear PDEs was introduced in Fokas [A unified transform method for solving linear and certain nonlinear PDEs, Proc. Roy. Soc. London Ser. A 53 (1997) 1411–1443]. For linear elliptic PDEs, an important aspect of this approach is the characterization of a generalized Dirichlet to Neumann map: given the derivative of the solution along a direction of an arbitrary angle to the boundary, the derivative of the solution perpendicularly to this direction is computed without solving on the interior of the domain. This is based on the analysis of the so-called global relation, an equation which couples known and unknown components of the derivative on the boundary and which is valid for all values of a complex parameter k. A collocation-type numerical method for solving the global relation for the Laplace equation in an arbitrary bounded convex polygon was introduced in Fulton et al. [An analytical method for linear elliptic PDEs and its numerical implementation, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 167 (2004) 465–483]. Here, by choosing a different set of the “collocation points” (values for k), we present a significant improvement of the results in Fulton et al. [An analytical method for linear elliptic PDEs and its numerical implementation, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 167 (2004) 465–483]. The new collocation points lead to well-conditioned collocation methods. Their combination with sine basis functions leads to a collocation matrix whose diagonal blocks are point diagonal matrices yielding efficient implementation of iterative methods; numerical experimentation suggests quadratic convergence. The choice of Chebyshev basis functions leads to higher order convergence, which for regular polygons appear to be exponential.     

A Smooth Regularization of the Projection Formula for Constrained Parabolic Optimal Control Problems

We present a smooth, that is, differentiable regularization of the projection formula that occurs in constrained parabolic optimal control problems. We summarize the optimality conditions in function spaces for unconstrained and control-constrained problems subject to a class of parabolic partial differential equations. The optimality conditions are then given by coupled systems of parabolic PDEs. For constrained problems, a non-smooth projection operator occurs in the optimality conditions. For this projection operator, we present in detail a regularization method based on smoothed sign, minimum and maximum functions. For all three cases, that is, (1) the unconstrained problem, (2) the constrained problem including the projection, and (3) the regularized projection, we verify that the optimality conditions can be equivalently expressed by an elliptic boundary value problem in the space-time domain. For this problem and all three cases we discuss existence and uniqueness issues. Motivated by this elliptic problem, we use a simultaneous space-time discretization for numerical tests. Here, we show how a standard finite element software environment allows to solve the problem and, thus, to verify the applicability of this approach without much implementation effort. We present numerical results for an example problem.     

Preconditioning a class of fourth order problems by operator splitting

We develop preconditioners for systems arising from finite element discretizations of parabolic problems which are fourth order in space. We consider boundary conditions which yield a natural splitting of the discretized fourth order operator into two (discrete) linear second order elliptic operators, and exploit this property in designing the preconditioners. The underlying idea is that efficient methods and software to solve second order problems with optimal computational effort are widely available. We propose symmetric and non-symmetric preconditioners, along with theory and numerical experiments. They both document crucial properties of the preconditioners as well as their practical performance. It is important to note that we neither need H ^s -regularity, s > 1, of the continuous problem nor quasi-uniform grids.     

On the evolution equation for magnetic geodesics

Orbits of charged particles under the effect of a magnetic field are mathematically described by magnetic geodesics. They appear as solutions to a system of (nonlinear) ordinary differential equations of second order. But we are only interested in periodic solutions. To this end, we study the corresponding system of (nonlinear) parabolic equations for closed magnetic geodesics and, as a main result, eventually prove the existence of long time solutions. As generalization one can consider a system of elliptic nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) whose solutions describe the orbits of closed p-branes under the effect of a “generalized physical force”. For the corresponding evolution equation, which is a system of parabolic nonlinear PDEs associated to the elliptic PDE, we can establish existence of short time solutions.     

Optimal uniform error estimates for moving least‐squares collocation with application to option pricing under jump‐diffusion processes

In this study, we derive optimal uniform error bounds for moving least‐squares (MLS) mesh‐free point collocation (also called finite point method) when applied to solve second‐order elliptic partial integro‐differential equations (PIDEs). In the special case of elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs), we show that our estimate improves the results of Cheng and Cheng (Appl. Numer. Math. 58 (2008), no. 6, 884–898) both in terms of the used error norm (here the uniform norm and there the discrete vector norm) and the obtained order of convergence. We then present optimal convergence rate estimates for second‐order elliptic PIDEs. We proceed by some numerical experiments dealing with elliptic PDEs that confirm the obtained theoretical results. The article concludes with numerical approximation of the linear parabolic PIDE arising from European option pricing problem under Merton's and Kou's jump‐diffusion models. The presented computational results (including the computation of option Greeks) and comparisons with other competing approaches suggest that the MLS collocation scheme is an efficient and reliable numerical method to solve elliptic and parabolic PIDEs arising from applied areas such as financial engineering.