Convergence properties of finite-difference hydrodynamics schemes in the presence of shocks

Abstract

We investigate asymptotic convergence in the~$\Delta x \!\rightarrow\! 0$ limit as a tool for determining whether numerical computations involving shocks are accurate. We use one-dimensional operator-split finite-difference schemes for hydrodynamics with a von Neumann artificial viscosity. An internal-energy scheme converges to demonstrably wrong solutions. We associate this failure with the presence of discontinuities in the limiting solution. Our extension of the Lax-Wendroff theorem guarantees that certain conservative, operator-split schemes converge to the correct continuum solution. For such a total-energy scheme applied to the formation of a single shock, convergence of a Cauchy error approaches the expected rate slowly. We relate this slowness to the effect of varying diffusion, due to varying linear artificial-viscous length, on small-amplitude waves. In an appendix we discuss the scaling of shock-transition regions with viscous lengths, and exhibit several difficulties for attempts to make extrapolations.