Non-modal analysis of spectral element methods: Towards accurate and robust large-eddy simulations

We introduce a \textit{non-modal} analysis technique that characterizes the diffusion properties of spectral element methods for linear convection-diffusion systems. While strictly speaking only valid for linear problems, the analysis is devised so that it can give critical insights on two questions: (i) Why do spectral element methods suffer from stability issues in under-resolved computations of nonlinear problems? And, (ii) why do they successfully predict under-resolved turbulent flows even without a subgrid-scale model? The answer to these two questions can in turn provide crucial guidelines to construct more robust and accurate schemes for complex under-resolved flows, commonly found in industrial applications. For illustration purposes, this analysis technique is applied to the hybridized discontinuous Galerkin methods as representatives of spectral element methods. The effect of the polynomial order, the upwinding parameter and the P\'eclet number on the so-called \textit{short-term diffusion} of the scheme are investigated. From a purely non-modal analysis point of view, polynomial orders between $2$ and $4$ with standard upwinding are well suited for under-resolved turbulence simulations. For lower polynomial orders, diffusion is introduced in scales that are much larger than the grid resolution. For higher polynomial orders, as well as for strong under/over-upwinding, robustness issues can be expected. The non-modal analysis results are then tested against under-resolved turbulence simulations of the Burgers, Euler and Navier-Stokes equations. While devised in the linear setting, our non-modal analysis succeeds to predict the behavior of the scheme in the nonlinear problems considered

Dealiasing techniques for high-order spectral element methods on regular and irregular grids

High-order methods are becoming increasingly attractive in both academia and industry, especially in the context of computational fluid dynamics. However, before they can be more widely adopted, issues such as lack of robustness in terms of numerical stability need to be addressed, particularly when treating industrial-type problems where challenging geometries and a wide range of physical scales, typically due to high Reynolds numbers, need to be taken into account. One source of instability is aliasing effects which arise from the nonlinearity of the underlying problem. In this work we detail two dealiasing strategies based on the concept of consistent integration. The first uses a localised approach, which is useful when the nonlinearities only arise in parts of the problem. The second is based on the more traditional approach of using a higher quadrature. The main goal of both dealiasing techniques is to improve the robustness of high order spectral element methods, thereby reducing aliasing-driven instabilities. We demonstrate how these two strategies can be effectively applied to both continuous and discontinuous discretisations, where, in the latter, both volumetric and interface approximations must be considered. We show the key features of each dealiasing technique applied to the scalar conservation law with numerical examples and we highlight the main differences in terms of implementation between continuous and discontinuous spatial discretisations

“Sanft ist der Amsel Klage”. Motivstrukturen bei Georg Trakl

The essay examines the leitmotif-technique in the lyric poetry of the expressionist Austrian poet Georg Trakl (1887-1914). This term, which is common in musicology (for example to describe Wagner’s usual technique) and in literary studies (to delineate both narrative techniques and techniques of psychological characterisation, such as in Tolstoj’s and Thomas Mann’s texts), is here applied to Trakl’s poetry to describe images which feature recursivity, strongly connotative meaning and semantic open-endedness. In his poetry the leitmotif-technique appears to contribute to the formation of a private language, the opacity of which descends not so much from a programmatic intransitivity of the poetical language (as typified by Mallarmé), but rather from the need for a broken, dismembered, non-transparent communication. This linguistic obscurity develops as an existential feature before turning into aesthetic intention and poetic program. Such construction of intratextual, ‘private’ semantic networks through leitmotifs is part of a progressive reduction of the semantic range and increasing ambiguity of the syntactic links, especially in Trakl’s late poetry

A fast multi-resolution lattice Green's function method for elliptic difference equations

We propose a mesh refinement technique for solving elliptic difference equations on unbounded domains based on the fast lattice Green's function (FLGF) method. The FLGF method exploits the regularity of the Cartesian mesh and uses the fast multipole method in conjunction with fast Fourier transforms to yield linear complexity and decrease time-to-solution. We extend this method to a multi-resolution scheme and allow for locally refined Cartesian blocks embedded in the computational domain. Appropriately chosen interpolation and regularization operators retain consistency between the discrete Laplace operator and its inverse on the unbounded domain. Second-order accuracy and linear complexity are maintained, while significantly reducing the number of degrees of freedom and hence the computational cost

On the eddy-resolving capability of high-order discontinuous Galerkin approaches to implicit LES / under-resolved DNS of Euler turbulence

AbstractWe present estimates of spectral resolution power for under-resolved turbulent Euler flows obtained with high-order discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods. The ‘1% rule’ based on linear dispersion–diffusion analysis introduced by Moura et al. (2015) [10] is here adapted for 3D energy spectra and validated through the inviscid Taylor–Green vortex problem. The 1% rule estimates the wavenumber beyond which numerical diffusion induces an artificial dissipation range on measured energy spectra. As the original rule relies on standard upwinding, different Riemann solvers are tested. Very good agreement is found for solvers which treat the different physical waves in a consistent manner. Relatively good agreement is still found for simpler solvers. The latter however displayed spurious features attributed to the inconsistent treatment of different physical waves. It is argued that, in the limit of vanishing viscosity, such features might have a significant impact on robustness and solution quality. The estimates proposed are regarded as useful guidelines for no-model DG-based simulations of free turbulence at very high Reynolds numbers

Fortini e «I poeti del Novecento»

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