A robust numerical scheme for solving Riesz-tempered fractional reaction–diffusion equations

Abstract

The Fractional Diffusion Equation (FDE) is a mathematical model that describes anomalous transport phenomena characterized by non-local and long-range dependencies which deviate from the traditional behavior of diffusion. Solving this equation numerically is challenging due to the need to discretize complicated integral operators which increase the computational costs. These complexities are exacerbated by nonlinear source terms, nonsmooth data and irregular domains. In this study, we propose a second order Exponential Time Differencing Finite Element Method (ETD-RDP-FEM) to efficiently solve nonlinear FDE, posed in irregular domains. This approach discretizes matrix exponentials using a rational function with real and distinct poles, resulting in an L-stable scheme that damps spurious oscillations caused by non-smooth initial data. The method is shown to outperform existing second-order methods for FDEs with a higher accuracy and faster computational time.