A Time Splitting Space Spectral Element Method for the Cahn-Hilliard Equation

A Time Splitting Space Spectral Element Method for the Cahn-Hilliard Equation

Year:    2013

East Asian Journal on Applied Mathematics, Vol. 3 (2013), Iss. 4 : pp. 333–351

Abstract

We propose and analyse a class of fully discrete schemes for the Cahn-Hilliard equation with Neumann boundary conditions. The schemes combine large-time step splitting methods in time and spectral element methods in space. We are particularly interested in analysing a class of methods that split the original Cahn-Hilliard equation into lower order equations. These lower order equations are simpler and less computationally expensive to treat. For the first-order splitting scheme, the stability and convergence properties are investigated based on an energy method. It is proven that both semi-discrete and fully discrete solutions satisfy the energy dissipation and mass conservation properties hidden in the associated continuous problem. A rigorous error estimate, together with numerical confirmation, is provided. Although not yet rigorously proven, higher-order schemes are also constructed and tested by a series of numerical examples. Finally, the proposed schemes are applied to the phase field simulation in a complex domain, and some interesting simulation results are obtained.

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Journal Article Details

Publisher Name:    Global Science Press

Language:    English

DOI:    https://doi.org/10.4208/eajam.150713.181113a

East Asian Journal on Applied Mathematics, Vol. 3 (2013), Iss. 4 : pp. 333–351

Published online:    2013-01

AMS Subject Headings:   

Copyright:    COPYRIGHT: © Global Science Press

Pages:    19

Keywords:    Cahn-Hilliard time splitting schemes spectral methods error analysis.