Uniform accuracy of implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta (IMEX-RK) schemes for hyperbolic systems with relaxation

Abstract

Implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta (IMEX-RK) schemes are popular methods to treat multiscale equations that contain a stiff part and a non-stiff part, where the stiff part is characterized by a small parameter $\varepsilon$. In this work, we prove rigorously the uniform stability and uniform accuracy of a class of IMEX-RK schemes for a linear hyperbolic system with stiff relaxation. The result we obtain is optimal in the sense that it holds regardless of the value of $\varepsilon$ and the order of accuracy is the same as the design order of the original scheme, i.e., there is no order reduction.