Hyperbolic conservation laws on manifolds. An error estimate for finite volume schemes

Following Ben-Artzi and LeFloch, we consider nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws posed on a Riemannian manifold, and we establish an L1-error estimate for a class of finite volume schemes allowing for the approximation of entropy solutions to the initial value problem. The error in the L1 norm is of order h1/4 at most, where h represents the maximal diameter of elements in the family of geodesic triangulations. The proof relies on a suitable generalization of Cockburn, Coquel, and LeFloch＇s theory which was originally developed in the Euclidian setting. We extend the arguments to curved manifolds, by taking into account the effects to the geometry and overcoming several new technical difficulties.     

A geometric approach to error estimates for conservation laws posed on a spacetime

We consider a hyperbolic conservation law posed on an (N+1)-dimensional spacetime, whose flux is a field of differential forms of degree N. Generalizing the classical Kuznetsov’s method, we derive an L¹ error estimate which applies to a large class of approximate solutions. In particular, we apply our main theorem and deal with two entropy solutions associated with distinct flux fields, as well as with an entropy solution and an approximate solution. Our framework encompasses, for instance, equations posed on a globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifold.     

Weakly Nonlinear Geometric Optics for Hyperbolic Systems of Conservation Laws

We present a new approach to analyze the validation of weakly nonlinear geometric optics for entropy solutions of nonlinear hyperbolic systems of conservation laws whose eigenvalues are allowed to have constant multiplicity and corresponding characteristic fields to be linearly degenerate. The approach is based on our careful construction of more accurate auxiliary approximation to weakly nonlinear geometric optics, the properties of wave front-tracking approximate solutions, the behavior of solutions to the approximate asymptotic equations, and the standard semigroup estimates. To illustrate this approach more clearly, we focus first on the Cauchy problem for the hyperbolic systems with compact support initial data of small bounded variation and establish that the L ¹-estimate between the entropy solution and the geometric optics expansion function is bounded by O(?²), independent of the time variable. This implies that the simpler geometric optics expansion functions can be employed to study the behavior of general entropy solutions to hyperbolic systems of conservation laws. Finally, we extend the results to the case with non-compact support initial data of bounded variation.     

On the theory of divergence-measure fields and its applications

Divergence-measure fields are extended vector fields, including vector fields inL ^p and vector-valued Radon measures, whose divergences are Radon measures. Such fields arise naturally in the study of entropy solutions of nonlinear conservation laws and other areas. In this paper, a theory of divergence-measure fields is presented and analyzed, in which normal traces, a generalized Gauss-Green theorem, and product rules, among others, are established. Some applications of this theory to several nonlinear problems in conservation laws and related areas are discussed. In particular, with the aid of this theory, we prove the stability of Riemann solutions, which may contain rarefaction waves, contact discontinuities, and/or vacuum states, in the class of entropy solutions of the Euler equations for gas dynamics.Dedicated to Constantine Dafermos on his 60^th birthday     

Entropy flux-splittings for hyperbolic conservation laws part I: General framework

A general framework is proposed for the derivation and analysis of flux-splittings and the corresponding flux-splitting schemes for systems of conservation laws endowed with a strictly convex entropy. The approach leads to several new properties of the existing flux-splittings and to a method for the construction of entropy flux-splittings for general situations. A large family of genuine entropy flux-splittings is derived for several significant examples: the scalar conservation laws, the p-system, and the Euler system of isentropic gas dynamics. In particular, for the isentropic Euler system, we obtain a family of splittings that satisfy the entropy inequality associated with the mechanical energy. For this system, it is proved that there exists a unique genuine entropy flux-splitting that satisfies all of the entropy inequalities, which is also the unique diagonalizable splitting. This splitting can be also derived by the so-called kinetic formulation. Simple and useful difference schemes are derived from the flux-splittings for hyperbolic systems. Such entropy flux-splitting schemes are shown to satisfy a discrete cell entropy inequality. For the diagonalizable splitting schemes, an a priori L^∞ estimate is provided by applying the principle of bounded invariant regions. The convergence of entropy flux-splitting schemes is proved for the 2 × 2 systems of conservation laws and the isentropic Euler system. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A Time-Fractional Step Method for Conservation Law Related Obstacle Problems

We are interested in approximating the solution of a first-order quasi-linear equation associated with a forced unilateral obstacle condition. With this view, we make use of the time-splitting method developed classically to compute discontinuous solutions of nonhomogeneous scalar conservation laws. Here, one proves that this fractional step method converges in L¹ to the weak entropy solution of the considered obstacle problem. In the case of the Cauchy problem, an L¹-error bound in is established.     

Validity of nonlinear geometric optics for entropy solutions of multidimensional scalar conservation laws

Nonlinear geometric optics with various frequencies for entropy solutions only in L^∞ of multidimensional scalar conservation laws is analyzed. A new approach to validate nonlinear geometric optics is developed via entropy dissipation through scaling, compactness, homogenization, and L¹-stability. New multidimensional features are recognized, especially including nonlinear propagations of oscillations with high frequencies. The validity of nonlinear geometric optics for entropy solutions in L^∞ of multidimensional scalar conservation laws is justified.     

Construction of Solutions and L^1-error Estimates of Viscous Methods for Scalar Conservation Laws with Boundary

This paper is concerned with an initial boundary value problem for strictly convex conservation laws whose weak entropy solution is in the piecewise smooth solution class consisting of finitely many discontinuities. By the structure of the weak entropy solution of the corresponding initial value problem and the boundary entropy condition developed by Bardos-Leroux Nedelec, we give a construction method to the weak entropy solution of the initial boundary value problem. Compared with the initial value problem, the weak entropy solution of the initial boundary value problem includes the following new interaction type： an expansion wave collides with the boundary and the boundary reflects a new shock wave which is tangent to the boundary. According to the structure and some global estimates of the weak entropy solution, we derive the global L^1-error estimate for viscous methods to this initial boundary value problem by using the matching travelling wave solutions method. If the inviscid solution includes the interaction that an expansion wave collides with the boundary and the boundary reflects a new shock wave which is tangent to the boundary, or the inviscid solution includes some shock wave which is tangent to the boundary, then the error of the viscosity solution to the inviscid solution is bounded by O（ε^1/2） in L^1-norm; otherwise, as in the initial value problem, the L^1-error bound is O（ε｜ In ε｜）.     

A new nonlinear functional for general scalar conservation laws

The approach based on the construction of some nonlinear functionals was proved to be robust in the study of the well-posedness theories of hyperbolic conservation laws, especially in one space dimensional case. In particular, a generalized entropy functional was constructed in [T.-P. Liu, T. Yang, A new entropy functional for scalar conservation laws, Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 52 (1999) 1427-1442] for the L¹ stability of weak solutions. However, this generalized functional is so far only defined for scalar equations with convex flux function. In this paper, we introduce a new nonlinear functional which is motivated by the new Glimm functional introduced in [J.-L. Hua, Z.-H. Jiang, T. Yang, A new Glimm functional and convergence rate of Glimm scheme for general systems of hyperbolic conservation laws, preprint] for general scalar conservation laws. This functional improves the one given in [H.-X. Liu, T. Yang, A nonlinear functional for general scalar hyperbolic conservation laws, J. Differential Equations 235 (2) (2007) 658-667] and it can be viewed as a better attempt for the generalized entropy functional for general equations.