A stability analysis of a real space split operator method for the Klein-Gordon equation

We carry out a stability analysis for the real space split operator method for the propagation of the time-dependent Klein-Gordon equation that has been proposed Ruf et al. [M. Ruf, H. Bauke, C.H. Keitel, A real space split operator method for the Klein-Gordon equation, Journal of Computational Physics 228 (24) (2009) 9092-9106, doi:10.1016/j.jcp.2009.09.012]. The region of algebraic stability is determined analytically by means of a von-Neumann stability analysis for systems with homogeneous scalar and vector potentials. Algebraic stability implies convergence ofthe real space split operator method for smooth absolutely integrable initial conditions. In the limit of small spatial grid spacings $h$ in each of the $d$ spatial dimensions and small temporal steps $\tau$, the stability condition becomes $h/\tau>\sqrt{d}c$ for second order finite differences and $\sqrt{3}h/(2\tau)>\sqrt{d}c$ for fourth order finite differences, respectively, with $c$ denoting the speed of light. Furthermore, we demonstrate numerically that the stability region for systems with inhomogeneous potentials coincides almost with the region of algebraic stability for homogeneous potentials

Computational relativistic quantum dynamics and its application to relativistic tunneling and Kapitza-Dirac scattering

Computational methods are indispensable to study the quantum dynamics of relativistic light-matter interactions in parameter regimes where analytical methods become inapplicable. We present numerical methods for solving the time-dependent Dirac equation and the time-dependent Klein-Gordon equation and their implementation on high performance graphics cards. These methods allow us to study tunneling from hydrogen-like highly charged ions in strong laser fields and Kapitza-Dirac scattering in the relativistic regime

Normal form for travelling kinks in discrete Klein-Gordon lattices

We study travelling kinks in the spatial discretizations of the nonlinear Klein--Gordon equation, which include the discrete $\phi^4$ lattice and the discrete sine--Gordon lattice. The differential advance-delay equation for travelling kinks is reduced to the normal form, a scalar fourth-order differential equation, near the quadruple zero eigenvalue. We show numerically non-existence of monotonic kinks (heteroclinic orbits between adjacent equilibrium points) in the fourth-order equation. Making generic assumptions on the reduced fourth-order equation, we prove the persistence of bounded solutions (heteroclinic connections between periodic solutions near adjacent equilibrium points) in the full differential advanced-delay equation with the technique of center manifold reduction. Existence and persistence of multiple kinks in the discrete sine--Gordon equation are discussed in connection to recent numerical results of \cite{ACR03} and results of our normal form analysis

Wave and Klein-Gordon equations on hyperbolic spaces

We consider the Klein--Gordon equation associated with the Laplace--Beltrami operator $\Delta$ on real hyperbolic spaces of dimension $n\!\ge\!2$; as $\Delta$ has a spectral gap, the wave equation is a particular case of our study. After a careful kernel analysis, we obtain dispersive and Strichartz estimates for a large family of admissible couples. As an application, we prove global well--posedness results for the corresponding semilinear equation with low regularity data.Comment: 50 pages, 30 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1010.237

Multi-site breathers in Klein-Gordon lattices: stability, resonances, and bifurcations

We prove the most general theorem about spectral stability of multi-site breathers in the discrete Klein-Gordon equation with a small coupling constant. In the anti-continuum limit, multi-site breathers represent excited oscillations at different sites of the lattice separated by a number of "holes" (sites at rest). The theorem describes how the stability or instability of a multi-site breather depends on the phase difference and distance between the excited oscillators. Previously, only multi-site breathers with adjacent excited sites were considered within the first-order perturbation theory. We show that the stability of multi-site breathers with one-site holes change for large-amplitude oscillations in soft nonlinear potentials. We also discover and study a symmetry-breaking (pitchfork) bifurcation of one-site and multi-site breathers in soft quartic potentials near the points of 1:3 resonance.Comment: 34 pages, 12 figure

Global well-posedness of the Maxwell-Klein-Gordon equation below the energy norm

We show that the Maxwell-Klein-Gordon equations in three dimensions are globally well-posed in $H^s_x$ in the Coulomb gauge for all $s > \sqrt{3}/2 \approx 0.866$. This extends previous work of Klainerman-Machedon \cite{kl-mac:mkg} on finite energy data $s \geq 1$, and Eardley-Moncrief \cite{eardley} for still smoother data. We use the method of almost conservation laws, sometimes called the "I-method", to construct an almost conserved quantity based on the Hamiltonian, but at the regularity of $H^s_x$ rather than $H^1_x$. One then uses Strichartz, null form, and commutator estimates to control the development of this quantity. The main technical difficulty (compared with other applications of the method of almost conservation laws) is at low frequencies, because of the poor control on the $L^2_x$ norm. In an appendix, we demonstrate the equations' relative lack of smoothing - a property that presents serious difficulties for studying rough solutions using other known methods.Comment: 56 pages, no figures; to appear, DCDS-A. This is the final version, incorporating the referee comment