Abstract: | The first of a two‐paper series, this paper introduces a new decomposition not of the hyperbolic flux vector but of the flux vector Jacobian. The paper then details for the Euler and Navier–Stokes equations an intrinsically infinite directional upstream‐bias formulation that rests on the mathematics and physics of multi‐dimensional acoustics and convection. Based upon characteristic velocities, this formulation introduces the upstream bias directly at the differential equation level, before the spatial discretization, within a characteristics‐bias governing system. Through a decomposition of the Euler flux divergence into multi‐dimensional acoustics and convection–acoustics components, this characteristics‐bias system induces consistent upstream bias along all directions of spatial wave propagation, with anisotropic variable‐strength upstreaming that correlates with the spatial distribution of characteristic velocities. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |