Triangular finite differences using bivariate Lagrange polynomials with applications to elliptic equations

Abstract

This paper proposes finite-difference schemes based on triangular stencils to approximate partial derivatives using bivariate Lagrange polynomials. We use first-order partial derivative approximations on triangles to introduce a novel hexagonal scheme for the second-order partial derivative on any rotated parallelogram grid. Numerical analysis of the local truncation errors shows that first-order partial derivative approximations depend strongly on the triangle vertices getting at least a first-order method. On the other hand, we prove that the proposed hexagonal scheme is always second-order accurate. Simulations performed at different triangular configurations reveal that numerical errors agree with our theoretical results. Results demonstrate that the proposed method is second-order accurate for the Poisson and Helmholtz equation. Furthermore, this paper shows that the hexagonal scheme with equilateral triangles results in a fourth-order accurate method to the Laplace equation. Finally, we study two-dimensional elliptic differential equations on different triangular grids and domains.