Solving Lane–Emden equations with boundary conditions of various types using high-order compact finite differences

Abstract

In this study, a high-order compact finite difference method is used to solve Lane–Emden equations with various boundary conditions. The norm is to use a first-order finite difference scheme to approximate Neumann and Robin boundary conditions, but that compromises the accuracy of the entire scheme. As a result, new higher-order finite difference schemes for approximating Robin boundary conditions are developed in this work. We test the applicability and performance of the method using different examples of Lane–Emden equations. Convergence analysis is provided, and it is consistent with the numerical results. The results are compared with the exact solutions and published results from other methods. The method produces highly accurate results, which are displayed in tables and graphs.