Semigroup stability of finite difference schemes for multidimensional hyperbolic initial-boundary value problems

Abstract

We develop a simple energy method to prove the stability of finite difference schemes for multidimensional hyperbolic initial boundary value problems. In particular we extend to several space dimensions a crucial result by Goldberg and Tadmor. This allows us to give two conditions on the discretized operator that ensure that stability estimates for zero initial data imply a semigroup stability estimate for general initial data. We then apply this criterion to several numerical schemes in two space dimensions.