Fourth order algorithms for a semilinear singular perturbation problem

Fourth order finite-difference algorithms for a semilinear singularly perturbed reaction–diffusion problem are discussed and compared both theoretically and numerically. One of them is the method of Sun and Stynes (1995) which uses a piecewise equidistant discretization mesh of Shishkin type. Another one is a simplified version of Vulanović's method (1993), based on a discretization mesh of Bakhvalov type. It is shown that the Bakhvalov mesh produces much better numerical results. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.