Control of stefan problems by means of linear-quadratic defect minimization

Summary We investigate the following problem: To influence a heat conduction process in such a way that the conductor melts in a prescribed manner. Since we treat a linear auxiliary problem, it suffices to deal with a linear-quadratic defect minimization problem with linear restrictions, where we use splines or polynomials as approximation spaces. In case of exact controllability we derive various order of convergence estimates, which we discuss for some numerical examples.     

Numerical analysis of the weighted particle method applied to the semiconductor Boltzmann equation

Summary The semiconductor Boltzmann equation involves an integral operator, the kernel of which is a measure supported by a surface. This feature introduces some singularities of the exact solution, which makes the numerical approximation of this equation difficult. This paper is devoted to the error analysis of the weighted particle method (introduced by Mas-Gallic and Raviart [14]) applied to the space homogeneous semiconductor Boltzmann equation. The results are commented in view of the practical use of the method. This paper is closely related to [12], where results of numerical simulations on both test and real problems are given.     

On the integration of stiff systems of O.D.E.s using extended backward differentiation formulae

Summary A class of extended backward differentiation formulae suitable for the approximate numerical integration of stiff systems of first order ordinary differential equations is derived. An algorithm is described whereby the required solution is predicted using a conventional backward differentiation scheme and then corrected using an extended backward differentiation scheme of higher order. This approach allows us to developL-stable schemes of order up to 4 andL()-stable schemes of order up to 9. An algorithm based on the integration formulae derived in this paper is illustrated by some numerical examples and it is shown that it is often superior to certain existing algorithms.     

B-convergence properties of defect correction methods. I

Summary B-convergence properties of defect correction methods based on the implicit Euler and midpoint schemes are discussed. The property ofB-convergence means that there exist global error bounds for nonlinear stiff problems independent of their stiffness. It turns out that the orders ofB-convergence of these methods coincide with the conventional orders of convergence of these methods derived under the assumption that.hL is small (whereL is a Lipschitz constant of the right-hand side). In Part I these assertions are reduced to the validity of the so-called Hypothesis A which is discussed in greater detail in Part II. Numerical experiments confirming the theoretical analysis are also given in Part II.     

Error bounds and estimates for eigenvalues of integral equations. II

Summary In a previous paper computable error bounds and dominant error terms are derived for the approximation of simple eigenvalues of non-symmetric integral equations. In this note an alternative analysis is presented leading to equivalent dominant error terms with error bounds which are quicker to calculate than those derived previously.     

Asymptotic bounds on the errors of one-step methods

Summary Bulirsch and Stoer have shown how to construct asymptotic upper and lower bounds on the true (global) errors resulting from the solution by extrapolation of the initial value problem for a system of ordinary differential equations. It is shown here how to do this for any one-step method endowed with an asymptotically correct local error estimator. The one-step method can be changed at every step.This work performed at Sandia National Laboratories supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under contract number DE-AC04-76DP00789     

The dependence of critical parameter bounds on the monotonicity of a Newton sequence

Summary A new method is proposed for the inclusion of the critical parameter ^* of some convex operator equationu=Tu (appearing e.g. in thermal explosion theory). It is based on the fact that for a fixed Newton's method starting with a suitable subsolution is not monotonically if and only if >^*. Several numerical examples arising from nonlinear boundary value problems illustrate the efficiency of the method.     

Numerical treatment of O.D.Es.: The theory ofA-methods

Summary Almost all commonly used methods for O.D.Es. and their most miscellaneous compositions areA-methods, i.e. they can be reduced toz _o=;z _j =Az _j–1 +h(x _j–1 ,z _j–1 ,z _j ;h),z _j ^s ,A(s,s),j=1(1)m. This paper presents a general theory forA-methods and discusses its practical consequences. An analysis of local discretization error (l.d.e.) accumulation results in a general order criterium and reveals which part of the l.d.e. effectively influences the global error. This facilitates the comparison of methods and generalizes considerably the concept of error constants. It is shown, as a consequence, that the global error cannot be safely controlled by the size of the l.d.e. and that the conventional error control may fail in important cases. Furthermore, Butcher's effective order methods, the concept of Nordsieck forms, and Gear's interpretation of lineark-step schemes as relaxation methods are generalized. The stability of step changing is shortly discussed.     

Discretization by finite elements of a model parameter dependent problem

The discretization by finite elements of a model variational problem for a clamped loaded beam is studied with emphasis on the effect of the beam thickness, which appears as a parameter in the problem, on the accuracy. It is shown that the approximation achieved by a standard finite element method degenerates for thin beams. In contrast a large family of mixed finite element methods are shown to yield quasioptimal approximation independent of the thickness parameter. The most useful of these methods may be realized by replacing the integrals appearing in the stiffness matrix of the standard method by Gauss quadratures.     

A note on Halley's method

Summary We introduce the degree of logarithmic convexity which provides a measure of the convexity of a function at each point. Making use of this concept we obtain a new theorem of global convergence for Halley's method.     

An automatic search procedure for finding real zeros

Summary The paper describes the implementation of a globally convergent iterative algorithm for determining all the real zeros of certain classes of functions in any given interval. The algorithm is developed in terms of Ostrowski's square root formula and in the case of polynomials the relation with Laguerre's formula is obtained. A device is incorporated for overcoming the problem of numerical instability together with a number of associated devices for ensuring that no zeros have been missed. Application of the method is illustrated by two examples having clustered zeros.     

The convergence of matrices generated by rank-2 methods from the restricted β-class of Broyden

Summary It is shown that the matricesB _k generated by any method from the restricted -class of Broyden converge, if the method is applied to the unconstrained minimization of a functionfC ²(R ⁿ ) with Lipschitz continuous ² f(x) and if the method is such that it generates vectorsx _k converging sufficiently fast to a local minimumx ^* off with positive definite ² f(x ^*). This result not only holds for constant step sizes _k 1 in each iterationx _k x _k+1=x _k – _k B _k ^–1 f(x _k ) of these methods but also for step sizes determined by asymptotically exact line searches. The paper generalizes corresponding results of Ge Ren-Pu and Powell [6] for the DFP and BFGS methods used in conjunction with step sizes _k 1.Dedicated to Professor F.L. Bauer on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

A class of direct methods for linear systems

Summary A class of methods of direct type for solving determined or underdetermined, full rank or deficient rank linear systems is presented and theoretically analyzed. The class can be considered as a generalization of the methods of Brent and Brown as restricted to linear systems and implicitly contains orthogonal,LU andLL ^T factorization methods.     

One-step methods of any order for ordinary differential equations with discontinuous right-hand sides

Summary The right-hand sides of a system of ordinary differential equations may be discontinuous on a certain surface. If a trajectory crossing this surface shall be computed by a one-step method, then a particular numerical analysis is necessary in a neighbourhood of the point of intersection. Such an analysis is presented in this paper. It shows that one can obtain any desired order of convergence if the method has an adequate order of consistency. Moreover, an asymptotic error theory is developed to justify Richardson extrapolation. A general one-step method is constructed satisfying the conditions of the preceding theory. Finally, a simplified Newton iteration scheme is used to implement this method.     

A generalized conjugate gradient algorithm for minimization

Summary A generalized conjugate gradient algorithm which is invariant to a nonlinear scaling of a strictly convex quadratic function is described, which terminates after at mostn steps when applied to scaled quadratic functionsf: R _n R₁ of the formf(x)=h(F(x)) withF(x) strictly convex quadratic andhC ¹ (R₁) an arbitrary strictly monotone functionh. The algorithm does not suppose the knowledge ofh orF but only off(x) and its gradientg(x).     

Runge-Kutta theory for Volterra integrodifferential equations

Summary The present paper develops the theory of general Runge-Kutta methods for Volterra integrodifferential equations. The local order is characterized in terms of the coefficients of the method. We investigate the global convergence of mixed and extended Runge-Kutta methods and give results on asymptotic error expansions. In a further section we construct examples of methods up to order 4.     

Superconvergence of piecewise polynomial Galerkin approximations,for Fredholm integral equations of the second kind

Summary Piecewise polynomial Galerkin approximations for Fredholm integral equations of the second kind are shown to posses superconvergence properties in some circumstances.     

Stability properties of variable stepsize variable formula methods

Summary When variable stepsize variable formula methods (VSVFM's) are used in the solution of systems of first order differential equations instability arises sometimes. Therefore it is important to find VSVFM's whose zerostability properties are not affected by the choice of both the stepsize and the formula. The Adams VSVFM's are such methods. In this work a more general class of methods which contains the Adams VSVFM's is discussed and it is proved that the zero-stability of the class is not affected by the choice of the stepsize and of the formula.     

Order conditions for Rosenbrock type methods

Summary Based on the theory of Butcher series this paper developes the order conditions for Rosenbrock methods and its extensions to Runge-Kutta methods with exact Jacobian dependent coefficients. As an application a third order modified Rosenbrock method with local error estimate is constructed and tested on some examples.     

Sur laB-stabilité des méthodes de Runge-Kutta

Résumé Dans cet article, nous modifions légèrement la définition de laB-stabilité donnée par J.C. Butcher [1] afin qu'elle s'applique à une plus large classe d'équations différentielles et nous donnons des caractérisations simples de cette propriété.

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OnB-stability of the methods of Runge Kutta

Summary In this paper, we slightly modify the definition ofB-stability of Butcher [1], so as to cover a wider class of differential equations, and we give simple characterizations of this property.