Uniform convergence of Galerkin‐multigrid methods for nonconforming finite elements for second‐order problems with less than full elliptic regularity

In this article we prove uniform convergence estimates for the recently developed Galerkin‐multigrid methods for nonconforming finite elements for second‐order problems with less than full elliptic regularity. These multigrid methods are defined in terms of the “Galerkin approach,” where quadratic forms over coarse grids are constructed using the quadratic form on the finest grid and iterated coarse‐to‐fine intergrid transfer operators. Previously, uniform estimates were obtained for problems with full elliptic regularity, whereas these estimates are derived with less than full elliptic regularity here. Applications to the nonconforming P₁, rotated Q₁, and Wilson finite elements are analyzed. The result applies to the mixed method based on finite elements that are equivalent to these nonconforming elements. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 18: 203–217, 2002; DOI 10.1002/num.10004     

Simultaneous Measurement of Particle Size and Particle Velocity by the Spatial Filtering Technique

The objective of this study was to compare the measuring results of a fiber‐optical probe based on a modified spatial filtering technique with given size distributions of different test powders and also with particle velocity values of laser Doppler measurements. Fiber‐optical spatial filtering velocimetry was modified by fiber‐optical spot scanning in order to determine simultaneously the size and the velocity of particles. The fiber‐optical probe system can be used as an in‐line measuring device for sizing of particles in different technical applications. Spherical test particles were narrow‐sized glass beads in the range 30–100 μm and irregularly shaped test particles were limestone particles in the range 10–600 μm. Particles were dispersed by a brush disperser and the measurements were carried out at a fixed position in a free particle‐laden air stream. Owing to the measurement of chord lengths and to the influence of diffraction and divergent angle, the probe results show differences from the given test particle sizes. Owing to the particle‐probe collisions, the mean velocity determined by the probe is smaller than the laser Doppler mean velocity.     

Cluster growth in particle-conserving cellular automata

A class of simple two-dimensional cellular automata with particle conservation is proposed for easy simulations of interacting particle systems. The automata are defined by the exchange of states of neighboring cells, depending on the configurations around the cells. By attributing an energy to a configuration of cells, we can select significant rules from the huge number of possible rules and classify them into several groups, based on the analogy with a binary alloy. By numerical calculations, cluster growth is found in two kinds of phases which reveal gas-solid coexistence and liquid droplets. Normalized scaling functions are obtained, and dynamical scaling is examined.     

Some effective methods for unconstrained optimization based on the solution of systems of ordinary differential equations

In this paper, we review briefly some methods for minimizing a functionF(x), which proceed by follwoing the solution curve of a system of ordinary differential equations. Such methods have often been thought to be unacceptably expensive; but we show, by means of extensive numerical tests, using a variety of algorithms, that the ODE approach can in fact be implemented in such a way as to be more than competitive with currently available conventional techniques.This work was supported by a SERC research studentship for the first author. Both authors are indebted to Dr. J. J. McKeown and Dr. K. D. Patel of SCICON Ltd, the collaborating establishment, for their advice and encouragement.     

New initial-value method for singularly perturbed boundary-value problems

An initial-value method is given for second-order singularly perturbed boundary-value problems with a boundary layer at one endpoint. The idea is to replace the original two-point boundary value problem by two suitable initial-value problems. The method is very easy to use and to implement. Nontrivial text problems are used to show the feasibility of the given method, its versatility, and its performance in solving linear and nonlinear singularly perturbed problems.This work was supported in part by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Contract No. 86.02108.01, and in part by the Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione.     

Numerical differentiation from a viewpoint of regularization theory

In this paper, we discuss the classical ill-posed problem of numerical differentiation, assuming that the smoothness of the function to be differentiated is unknown. Using recent results on adaptive regularization of general ill-posed problems, we propose new rules for the choice of the stepsize in the finite-difference methods, and for the regularization parameter choice in numerical differentiation regularized by the iterated Tikhonov method. These methods are shown to be effective for the differentiation of noisy functions, and the order-optimal convergence results for them are proved.

     

Approximation of Matrices and a Family of Gander Methods for Polar Decomposition

Two matrix approximation problems are considered: approximation of a rectangular complex matrix by subunitary matrices with respect to unitarily invariant norms and a minimal rank approximation with respect to the spectral norm. A characterization of a subunitary approximant of a square matrix with respect to the Schatten norms, given by Maher, is extended to the case of rectangular matrices and arbitrary unitarily invariant norms. Iterative methods, based on the family of Gander methods and on Higham’s scaled method for polar decomposition of a matrix, are proposed for computing subunitary and minimal rank approximants. Properties of Gander methods are investigated in details. AMS subject classification (2000) 65F30, 15A18     

Dynamics of liquid membranes. II: Adaptive finite difference methods

Two domain-adaptive finite difference methods are presented and applied to study the dynamic response of incompressible, inviscid, axisymmetric liquid membranes subject to imposed sinusoidal pressure oscillations. Both finite difference methods map the time-dependent physical domain whose downstream boundary is unknown onto a fixed computational domain. The location of the unknown time-dependent downstream boundary of the physical domain is determined from the continuity equation and results in an integrodifferential equation which is non-linearly coupled with the partial differential equations which govern the conservation of mass and linear momentum and the radius of the liquid membrane. One of the finite difference methods solves the non-conservative form of the governing equations by means of a block implicit iterative method. This method possesses the property that the Jacobian matrix of the convection fluxes has an eigenvalue of algebraic multiplicity equal to four and of geometric multiplicity equal to one. The second finite difference procedure also uses a block implicit iterative method, but the governing equations are written in conservation law form and contain an axial velocity which is the difference between the physical axial velocity and the grid speed. It is shown that these methods yield almost identical results and are more accurate than the non-adaptive techniques presented in Part I. It is also shown that the actual value of the pressure coefficient determined from linear analyses can be exceeded without affecting the stability and convergence of liquid membranes if the liquid membranes are subjected to sinusoidal pressure variations of sufficiently high frequencies.     

Effect of particle charging on momentum and heat transfer from rarefied plasma flow

The features of interaction of a spherical metallic particle with a rarefied thermal plasma flow due to the presence o charges-electrons and ions in the gaseous phase-are considered. Analytical expressions describing charge, momentum, and energy exchange between the plasma and the particle für the cases of strong and weak Debye screening are obtained. It is illustrated that the efficiency of particle heating in the plasma considerably grows as compared with a hot molecular gas due to participation of electrons and ions in file transfer processes.