Convergence analysis of upwind type schemes for the aggregation equation with pointy potential

Abstract

A numerical analysis of upwind type schemes for the nonlinear nonlocal aggregation equation is provided. In this approach, the aggregation equation is interpreted as a conservative transport equation driven by a nonlocal nonlinear velocity field with low regularity. In particular, we allow the interacting potential to be pointy, in which case the velocity field may have discontinuities. Based on recent results of existence and uniqueness of a Filippov flow for this type of equations, we study an upwind finite volume numerical scheme and we prove that it is convergent at order 1/2 in Wasserstein distance. This result is illustrated by numerical simulations, which show the optimality of the order of convergence.