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At least 19 records

The stability of numerical boundary treatments for compact high-order finite-difference schemes

The stability characteristics of various compact fourth and sixth order spatial operators are assessed using the theory of Gustafsson, Kreiss and Sundstrom (G-K-S) for the semi-discrete Initial Boundary Value Problem (IBVP). These results are then generalized to the fully discrete case using a recently developed theory of Kreiss. In all cases, favorable comparisons are obtained between the G-K-S theory, eigenvalue determination, and numerical simulation. The conventional definition of stability is then sharpened to include only those spatial discretizations that are asymptotically stable. It is shown that many of the higher order schemes which are G-K-S stable are not asymptotically stable. A series of compact fourth and sixth order schemes, which are both asymptotically and G-K-S stable for the scalar case, are then developed.

Carpenter, Mark H.↗

Numerical simulation of instability and transition physics

The study deals with the algorithm technology used in instability and transition simulations. Discretization methods are outlined, and attention is focused on high-order finite-difference methods and high-order centered-difference formulas. One advantage of finite-difference methods over spectral methods is thought to be in implementation of nonrigorous boundary conditions. It is suggested that the next significant advances in the understanding of transition physics and the ability to predict transition will come with more physically-realistic simulations. Compressible-flow algorithms are discussed, and it is noted that with further development, exploration of bypass mechanism on simple bodies at high speed would be possible.

Streett, C. L.↗

Time-stable boundary conditions for finite-difference schemes solving hyperbolic systems: Methodology and application to high-order compact schemes

We present a systematic method for constructing boundary conditions (numerical and physical) of the required accuracy, for compact (Pade-like) high-order finite-difference schemes for hyperbolic systems. First, a roper summation-by-parts formula is found for the approximate derivative. A 'simultaneous approximation term' (SAT) is then introduced to treat the boundary conditions. This procedure leads to time-stable schemes even in the system case. An explicit construction of the fourth-order compact case is given. Numerical studies are presented to verify the efficacy of the approach.

Carpenter, Mark H.↗

Understanding transition and turbulence through direct simulations

Direct simulations consist in solving the full Navier-Stokes equations, without any turbulence model, and describing all the detailed features of the flow. Usually the flows are three-dimensional and time-dependent and contain both coarse and fine structures, which makes the numerical task very challenging in terms of both the algorithm and the computational effort. Most of the work until now has involved spectral methods, which are highly accurate but not very flexible in terms of geometry or complex equations. For that reason, future work will also rely on high-order finite-difference or other methods. Direct simulations complement experimental work, and both contribute to the theory and the empirical knowledge of turbulence. Once such a simulation has been shown to be accurate, the flow field is completely known in three dimensions and time, including the pressure, the vorticity and any other quantity. On the other hand, most simulations to date solved the incompressible equations in rather simple geometries, and direct simulations will always be limited to moderate Reynolds numbers. Extensive simulations have been conducted in homogeneous turbulence, channel flows, boundary layers, and mixing layers. Much effort is devoted to addressing flows with compressibility and chemical reactions, and to new geometries such as a backward-facing step.

Spalart, P. R.↗

High-order cyclo-difference techniques: An alternative to finite differences

The summation-by-parts energy norm is used to establish a new class of high-order finite-difference techniques referred to here as 'cyclo-difference' techniques. These techniques are constructed cyclically from stable subelements, and require no numerical boundary conditions; when coupled with the simultaneous approximation term (SAT) boundary treatment, they are time asymptotically stable for an arbitrary hyperbolic system. These techniques are similar to spectral element techniques and are ideally suited for parallel implementation, but do not require special collocation points or orthogonal basis functions. The principal focus is on methods of sixth-order formal accuracy or less; however, these methods could be extended in principle to any arbitrary order of accuracy.

Carpenter, Mark H.↗

Direct simulations of turbulent flow using finite-difference schemes

A high-order accurate finite-difference approach is presented for calculating incompressible turbulent flow. The methods used include a kinetic energy conserving central difference scheme and an upwind difference scheme. The methods are evaluated in test cases for the evolution of small-amplitude disturbances and fully developed turbulent channel flow. It is suggested that the finite-difference approach can be applied to complex geometries more easilty than highly accurate spectral methods. It is concluded that the upwind scheme is a good candidate for direct simulations of turbulent flows over complex geometries.

Rai, Man Mohan↗

PIAFS: A 2D nonlinear hydrodynamics code to model gaseous optics

The survivability of final optics is expected to be a major challenge for all future inertial fusion energy concepts. Due to their higher damage threshold, gaseous optics have been identified as a promising solution to this problem. Gaseous optics can be created through the photoabsorption of spatially modulated UV light, which induces various chemical processes that heat the gas. This heating leads to a pressure perturbation, which in turn launches a density perturbation that can imprint a refractive index modulation such as a grating. In this article, we introduce a parallel C/C++ code to simulate gaseous optics. PIAFS2D is a high-order conservative finite-difference code to solve the compressible Navier–Stokes equations along with the photochemical heating sources on Cartesian grids. The simulations are validated by the linear theory derived in a previous paper [Michel et al., Phys. Rev. Appl. 22, 024014 (2024)]. For larger perturbations, the behavior of the system—particularly the evolution of the generated acoustic wave—demonstrates strong nonlinearity. PIAFS2D allows the study of nonlinear behaviors and can be used for the design of high-efficiency gaseous optics elements in realistic experimental conditions.

Oudin, A. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ↗

A comparison of two formulations for high-order accurate essentially non-oscillatory schemes

The finite-volume and finite-difference implementations of high-order accurate essentially non-oscillatory shock-capturing schemes are discussed and compared. Results obtained with fourth-order accurate algorithms based on both formulations are examined for accuracy, sensitivity to grid irregularities, resolution of waves that are oblique to the mesh, and computational efficiency. Some algorithm modifications that may be required for a given application are suggested. Conclusions that pertain to the relative merits of both formulations are drawn, and some circumstances for which each might be useful are noted.

Casper, Jay↗

A high-order Lagrangian-decoupling method for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

A high-order Lagrangian-decoupling method is presented for the unsteady convection-diffusion and incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The method is based upon: (1) Lagrangian variational forms that reduce the convection-diffusion equation to a symmetric initial value problem; (2) implicit high-order backward-differentiation finite-difference schemes for integration along characteristics; (3) finite element or spectral element spatial discretizations; and (4) mesh-invariance procedures and high-order explicit time-stepping schemes for deducing function values at convected space-time points. The method improves upon previous finite element characteristic methods through the systematic and efficient extension to high order accuracy, and the introduction of a simple structure-preserving characteristic-foot calculation procedure which is readily implemented on modern architectures. The new method is significantly more efficient than explicit-convection schemes for the Navier-Stokes equations due to the decoupling of the convection and Stokes operators and the attendant increase in temporal stability. Numerous numerical examples are given for the convection-diffusion and Navier-Stokes equations for the particular case of a spectral element spatial discretization.

Ho, Lee-Wing↗

Sylvester-preconditioned adaptive-rank implicit time integrators for advection-diffusion equations with variable coefficients

Here, we consider the adaptive-rank integration of multi-dimensional time-dependent advection-diffusion partial differential equations (PDEs) with variable coefficients. We employ a standard finite-difference method for spatial discretization coupled with high-order diagonally implicit Runge-Kutta temporal schemes. The discrete equation is a generalized Sylvester equation (GSE), which we solve with a projection-based adaptive-rank algorithm structured around two key strategies: (i) constructing dimension-wise subspaces using a novel atypical extended Krylov strategy, and (ii) efficiently solving the basis coefficient matrix with a preconditioned GMRES solver. The low-rank decomposition is performed in 2D using SVD and with high-order SVD (HOSVD) in 3D to represent the tensor in a compressed Tucker format. For d-dimensional problems (here, d = 2 or 3), the computational complexity and memory storage of the approach are found numerically to scale as and $\mathscr{O}(Nr^2) + \mathscr{O} (r^{d+1})$ and $\mathscr{O}(Nr) + \mathscr{O} (r^{d})$, respectively, with the one-dimensional resolution and the maximal rank during the Krylov iteration (which we find to be largely independent of on our numerical examples). We present numerical examples that illustrate the advertised properties of the algorithm.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Effects of spatial order of accuracy on the computation of vortical flowfields

The effect of the order-of-accuracy, used for the spatial discretization, on the resolution of the leading edge vortices over sharp-edged delta wings is investigated. The flowfield is computed using a viscous/inviscid zonal approach. The viscous flow in the vicinity of the wing is computed using the conservative formulation of the compressible, thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations. The leeward-side vortical flowfield and the other flow regions away from the surface are computed as inviscid. The time integration is performed with both an explicit fourth-order Runge-Kutta scheme and an implicit, factorized, iterative scheme. High-order-accurate inviscid fluxes are computed using both a conservative and a non-conservative (primitive variable) formulation. The nonlinear, inviscid terms of the primitive variable form of the governing equations are evaluated with a finite-difference numerical scheme based on the sign of the eigenvalues. High-order, upwind-biased, finite difference formulas are used to evaluate the derivatives of the nonlinear convective terms. Computed results are compared with available experimental data, and comparisons of the flowfield in the vicinity of the vortex cores are presented.

Ekaterinaris, J. A.↗

Parallel solution of high-order numerical schemes for solving incompressible flows

A new parallel numerical scheme for solving incompressible steady-state flows is presented. The algorithm uses a finite-difference approach to solving the Navier-Stokes equations. The algorithms are scalable and expandable. They may be used with only two processors or with as many processors as are available. The code is general and expandable. Any size grid may be used. Four processors of the NASA LeRC Hypercluster were used to solve for steady-state flow in a driven square cavity. The Hypercluster was configured in a distributed-memory, hypercube-like architecture. By using a 50-by-50 finite-difference solution grid, an efficiency of 74 percent (a speedup of 2.96) was obtained.

Milner, Edward J.↗

Numerical simulation of entry flow over blunt swept-wing planes

Viscous, heat-conducting flow with chemical and vibrational relaxation processes of the constituent gases surrounding winged spacecraft is considered in the continuum regime. The Navier-Stokes equations are appended by additional vibrational energy and species rate equations and supplemented by the equations of state and the phenomenological laws based on mixture rules or collisional cross sections. Numerical convective flux can be obtained from several forms of one-dimensional Riemann solver, with or without entropy correction. High-order accuracy is obtained from two types of reconstructive interpolation. A number of explicit and implicit numerical schemes have been implemented as a means to yield converged solutions. Both shock-fitting, finite-difference and shock-capturing, finite-volume techniques have been tested for configurations such as a sphere, double ellipsoid, blunt-edge delta wing, a European Hermes vehicle, and the U.S. Shuttle Orbiter. The shock-fitting code provides excellent results only for simple configurations, whereas the shock-capturing code leads to overall satisfying solutions for complex geometries.

Li, C. P.↗

Photochemically Induced Acousto-optics Fluid Simulations

PIAFS is a finite-difference code to solve the compressible Navier-Stokes equations with chemical heating on Cartesian grids. It models chemical reactions of air (oxygen and carbon dioxide) with ozone subject to radiation. It uses a high-order WENO spatial discretization and explicit Runge-Kutta time integration. It is capable of parallel simulations using MPI. The code is written in C/C++.

Oudin, AlbertineN [Lawrence Livermore National Lab↗

Conservative high-order-accurate finite-difference methods for curvilinear grids

Two fourth-order-accurate finite-difference methods for numerically solving hyperbolic systems of conservation equations on smooth curvilinear grids are presented. The first method uses the differential form of the conservation equations; the second method uses the integral form of the conservation equations. Modifications to these schemes, which are required near boundaries to maintain overall high-order accuracy, are discussed. An analysis that demonstrates the stability of the modified schemes is also provided. Modifications to one of the schemes to make it total variation diminishing (TVD) are also discussed. Results that demonstrate the high-order accuracy of both schemes are included in the paper. In particular, a Ringleb-flow computation demonstrates the high-order accuracy and the stability of the boundary and near-boundary procedures. A second computation of supersonic flow over a cylinder demonstrates the shock-capturing capability of the TVD methodology. An important contribution of this paper is the dear demonstration that higher order accuracy leads to increased computational efficiency.

Rai, Man M.↗

A Particle-in-Cell Method for Plasmas with a Generalized Momentum Formulation, Part I: Model Formulation

Here, this paper formulates a new particle-in-cell method for the Vlasov–Maxwell system. Under the Lorenz gauge condition, Maxwell’s equations for the electromagnetic fields can be written as a collection of scalar and vector wave equations. The use of potentials for the fields motivates the adoption of a Hamiltonian formulation for particles that employs the generalized (conjugate) momentum. A notable advantage offered by the Hamiltonian formulation is the elimination of time derivatives in the Lorenz gauge formulation that are required by the standard Newton–Lorentz treatment of the particles. This allows the fields to retain the full time-accuracy guaranteed by the field solver. The resulting updates for particles require only knowledge of the fields and their spatial derivatives. An analytical method for constructing these spatial derivatives is presented that exploits the underlying integral solution used in the field solver for the wave equations. Moreover, these derivatives are demonstrated to converge at the same rate as the fields in both time and space. The Method of Lines Transpose field solver we consider in this work is globally first-order accurate in time and high-order accurate in space (e.g., fourth- and fifth-order) and belongs to a larger class of methods which are unconditionally stable, can address geometry, and leverage $\mathcal {O}(N)$ fast summation methods for efficiency. We demonstrate the method on several well-established benchmark problems on bounded domains, including a plasma sheath as well as a relativistic particle beam. The efficacy of the proposed formulation is established by comparing with a second-order accurate finite-difference time-domain method that employs a leapfrog time advance for particles and a charge conserving map suitable for bounded domains. The new method shows mesh-independent numerical heating properties even in cases where the plasma Debye length is smaller than the grid spacing. This is an important feature of the new method for problems defined on bounded domains, because it permits the use of coarser grids in space in the representation of the fields. Such a capability has significant implications for the simulation of plasmas in bounded domains with complex geometry, where the ratio between the largest and smallest cells can vary significantly. The use of high-order spatial approximations in the new method also means that fewer grid points are required in order to achieve a fixed accuracy. Our results also suggest that the new method can be used with fewer simulation particles per cell compared to the benchmark explicit method, which permits further computational savings.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Navier-Stokes simulations of blade-vortex interaction using high-order accurate upwind schemes

Conventional, spatially second-order-accurate, finite-difference schemes are much too dissipative for calculations involving vortices that travel large distances (relative to some measure of the size of the vortex). This study presents a fifth-order-accurate upwind-biased scheme that preserves vortex structure for much longer times than existing second-order-accurate central and upwind difference schemes. Vortex calculations demonstrating this aspect of the fifth-order scheme are also presented. The method is then applied to the blade-vortex interaction problem. Results for strong interactions wherein the vortex impinges directly on the airfoil or a shock associated with the airfoil are presented. None of these calculations required any modeling of the shape, size, and trajectory of the interacting vortex.

Rai, Man Mohan↗