Convergence properties of the Runge-Kutta-Chebyshev method

Summary The Runge-Kutta-Chebyshev method is ans-stage Runge-Kutta method designed for the explicit integration of stiff systems of ordinary differential equations originating from spatial discretization of parabolic partial differential equations (method of lines). The method possesses an extended real stability interval with a length proportional tos ². The method can be applied withs arbitrarily large, which is an attractive feature due to the proportionality of withs ². The involved stability property here is internal stability. Internal stability has to do with the propagation of errors over the stages within one single integration step. This internal stability property plays an important role in our examination of full convergence properties of a class of 1st and 2nd order schemes. Full convergence means convergence of the fully discrete solution to the solution of the partial differential equation upon simultaneous space-time grid refinement. For a model class of linear problems we prove convergence under the sole condition that the necessary time-step restriction for stability is satisfied. These error bounds are valid for anys and independent of the stiffness of the problem. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the theoretical results.Dedicated to Peter van der Houwen for his numerous contributions in the field of numerical integration of differential equations.Paper presented at the symposium Construction of Stable Numerical Methods for Differential and Integral Equations, held at CWI, March 29, 1989, in honor of Prof. Dr. P.J. van der Houwen to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of his stay at CWI