Operator-splitting methods respecting eigenvalue problems for shallow shelf equations with basal drag

Abstract

We present different numerical methods for solving the shallow shelf equations with basal drag (SSAB). An alternative approach of splitting the SSAB equation into a Laplacian and diagonal shift operator is discussed with respect to the underlying eigenvalue problem. First, we solve the equations using standard methods. Then, the coupled equations are decomposed into operators for membranes stresses, basal shear stress and driving stress. Applying reasonable parameter values, we demonstrate that the operator of the membrane stresses is much stiffer than the operator of the basal shear stress. Here, we could apply a new splitting method, which alternates between the iteration on the membrane-stress operator and the basal-shear operator, with a more frequent iteration on the operator of the membrane stresses. We show that this splitting accelerates and stabilize the computational performance of the numerical method, although an appropriate choice of the standard method used to solve for all operators in one step speeds up the scheme as well.