Solution of nonlinear convection-diffusion problems by a conservative Galerkin-characteristics method

We consider a scheme for nonlinear (degenerate) convection dominant diffusion problems that arise in contaminant transport in porous media with equilibrium adsorption isotherm. This scheme is based on a regularization relaxation scheme that has been introduced by Jäger and Ka?ur (Numer Math 60:407–427, 1991; M²AN Math Model Numer Anal 29(N5):605–627, 1995) with a type of numerical integration by Bermejo (SIAM J Numer Anal 32:425–455, 1995) to the modified method of characteristics with adjusted advection MMOCAA that was recently developed by Douglas et al. (Numer Math 83(3):353–369, 1999; Comput Geosci 1:155–190, 1997). We present another variant of adjusting advection method. The convergence of the scheme is proved. An error estimate of the approximated scheme is derived. Computational experiments are carried out to illustrate the capability of the scheme to conserve the mass.