Multi-step Runge–Kutta–Nyström methods for special second-order initial value problems

Abstract

In this paper, multi-step Runge–Kutta–Nyström methods for the numerical integration of special second-order initial value problems are proposed and studied. These methods include classical Runge–Kutta–Nyström methods as special cases. General order conditions are derived by using the theory of B-series based on the set of special Nyström-trees, and two explicit methods with order five and six, respectively, are constructed. Numerical results show that our new methods are more efficient in comparison with classical Runge–Kutta–Nyström methods and other well-known high quality methods proposed in the scientific literature.