Sparse spectral-tau method for the three-dimensional helically reduced wave equation on two-center domains

We describe a multidomain spectral-tau method for solving the three-dimensional helically reduced wave equation on the type of two-center domain that arises when modeling compact binary objects in astrophysical applications. A global two-center domain may arise as the union of Cartesian blocks, cylindrical shells, and inner and outer spherical shells. For each such subdomain, our key objective is to realize certain (differential and multiplication) physical-space operators as matrices acting on the corresponding set of modal coefficients. We achieve sparse banded realizations through the integration "preconditioning" of Coutsias, Hagstrom, Hesthaven, and Torres. Since ours is the first three-dimensional multidomain implementation of the technique, we focus on the issue of convergence for the global solver, here the alternating Schwarz method accelerated by GMRES. Our methods may prove relevant for numerical solution of other mixed-type or elliptic problems, and in particular for the generation of initial data in general relativity.Comment: 37 pages, 3 figures, 12 table

Multidomain Spectral Method for the Helically Reduced Wave Equation

We consider the 2+1 and 3+1 scalar wave equations reduced via a helical Killing field, respectively referred to as the 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional helically reduced wave equation (HRWE). The HRWE serves as the fundamental model for the mixed-type PDE arising in the periodic standing wave (PSW) approximation to binary inspiral. We present a method for solving the equation based on domain decomposition and spectral approximation. Beyond describing such a numerical method for solving strictly linear HRWE, we also present results for a nonlinear scalar model of binary inspiral. The PSW approximation has already been theoretically and numerically studied in the context of the post-Minkowskian gravitational field, with numerical simulations carried out via the "eigenspectral method." Despite its name, the eigenspectral technique does feature a finite-difference component, and is lower-order accurate. We intend to apply the numerical method described here to the theoretically well-developed post-Minkowski PSW formalism with the twin goals of spectral accuracy and the coordinate flexibility afforded by global spectral interpolation.Comment: 57 pages, 11 figures, uses elsart.cls. Final version includes revisions based on referee reports and has two extra figure

Preconditioning for time-harmonic Maxwell's equations using the Laguerre transform

A method of numerically solving the Maxwell equations is considered for modeling harmonic electromagnetic fields. The vector finite element method makes it possible to obtain a physically consistent discretization of the differential equations. However, solving large systems of linear algebraic equations with indefinite ill-conditioned matrices is a challenge. The high order of the matrices limits the capabilities of the Gaussian method to solve such systems, since this requires large RAM and much calculation. To reduce these requirements, an iterative preconditioned algorithm based on integral Laguerre transform in time is used. This approach allows using multigrid algorithms and, as a result, needs less RAM compared to the direct methods of solving systems of linear algebraic equations.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Computational Electromagnetism and Acoustics

It is a moot point to stress the significance of accurate and fast numerical methods for the simulation of electromagnetic fields and sound propagation for modern technology. This has triggered a surge of research in mathematical modeling and numerical analysis aimed to devise and improve methods for computational electromagnetism and acoustics. Numerical techniques for solving the initial boundary value problems underlying both computational electromagnetics and acoustics comprise a wide array of different approaches ranging from integral equation methods to finite differences. Their development faces a few typical challenges: highly oscillatory solutions, control of numerical dispersion, infinite computational domains, ill-conditioned discrete operators, lack of strong ellipticity, hysteresis phenomena, to name only a few. Profound mathematical analysis is indispensable for tackling these issues. Many outstanding contributions at this Oberwolfach conference on Computational Electromagnetism and Acoustics strikingly confirmed the immense recent progress made in the field. To name only a few highlights: there have been breakthroughs in the application and understanding of phase modulation and extraction approaches for the discretization of boundary integral equations at high frequencies. Much has been achieved in the development and analysis of discontinuous Galerkin methods. New insight have been gained into the construction and relationships of absorbing boundary conditions also for periodic media. Considerable progress has been made in the design of stable and space-time adaptive discretization techniques for wave propagation. New ideas have emerged for the fast and robust iterative solution for discrete quasi-static electromagnetic boundary value problems

Fast iterative boundary element methods for high-frequency scattering problems in 3D elastodynamics

International audienceThe fast multipole method is an efficient technique to accelerate the solution of large scale 3D scattering problems with boundary integral equations. However, the fast multipole accelerated boundary element method (FM-BEM) is intrinsically based on an iterative solver. It has been shown that the number of iterations can significantly hinder the overall efficiency of the FM-BEM. The derivation of robust preconditioners for FM-BEM is now inevitable to increase the size of the problems that can be considered. The main constraint in the context of the FM-BEM is that the complete system is not assembled to reduce computational times and memory requirements. Analytic preconditioners offer a very interesting strategy by improving the spectral properties of the boundary integral equations ahead from the discretization. The main contribution of this paper is to combine an approximate adjoint Dirichlet to Neumann (DtN) map as an analytic preconditioner with a FM-BEM solver to treat Dirichlet exterior scattering problems in 3D elasticity. The approximations of the adjoint DtN map are derived using tools proposed in [40]. The resulting boundary integral equations are preconditioned Combined Field Integral Equations (CFIEs). We provide various numerical illustrations of the efficiency of the method for different smooth and non smooth geometries. In particular, the number of iterations is shown to be completely independent of the number of degrees of freedom and of the frequency for convex obstacles

Block-Jacobi sweeping preconditioners for optimized Schwarz methods applied to the Helmholtz equation

The parallel performances of sweeping-type algorithms for high-frequency time-harmonic wave problems have been recently improved by departing from standard layer-type domain decomposition and introducing a new sweeping strategy on a checkerboard-type domain decomposition, where sweeps can be performed more flexibly. These sweeps can be done by a certain number of steps, each of which provides the necessary information from subdomains on which solutions have been obtained to their next neighboring subdomains. Although, subproblems in these subdomains can be solved concurrently at each step, the sequential nature of the process of the sweeping approaches still exists, which limits their parallel performances. Moreover, the sweeping approaches can be interpreted as a completely approximate LU factorization, which implies a huge computation cost. We propose block-Jacobi sweeping preconditioners, which are improved variants of sweeping-type preconditioners. The new feature of these improved variants can be interpreted as several partial sweeps, which can be performed parallelly. We present several two- and three-dimensional finite element results with constant and various wave speeds to study and compare the original and block-Jacobi sweeping preconditioners