The reliability/cost trade-off for a class of ODE solvers

In the numerical solution of ODEs, it is now possible to develop efficient techniques that will deliver approximate solutions that are piecewise polynomials. The resulting methods can be designed so that the piecewise polynomial will satisfy a perturbed ODE with an associated defect (or residual) that is directly controlled in a consistent fashion. We will investigate the reliability/cost trade off that one faces when implementing and using such methods, when the methods are based on an underlying discrete Runge-Kutta formula. In particular we will identify a new class of continuous Runge-Kutta methods with a very reliable defect estimator and a validity check that reflects the credibility of the estimate. We will introduce different measures of the “reliability” of an approximate solution that are based on the accuracy of the approximate solution; the maximum magnitude of the defect of the approximate solution; and how well the method is able to estimate the maximum magnitude of...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: NA
• Authors: Wayne H. Enright, Li Yan
• Keywords: Approximate Solutions, NA 2010, Piecewise Polynomial, Solutions