Nonrelativistic Limit Regime Research Articles

Numerical Methods and Comparison for the Dirac Equation in the Nonrelativistic Limit Regime

We analyze rigorously error estimates and compare numerically spatial/temporal resolution of various numerical methods for the discretization of the Dirac equation in the nonrelativistic limit regime, involving a small dimensionless parameter $0<\varepsilon\ll 1$ which is inversely proportional to the speed of light. In this limit regime, the solution is highly oscillatory in time, i.e. there are propagating waves with wavelength $O(\varepsilon^2)$ and $O(1)$ in time and space, respectively. We begin with several frequently used finite difference time domain (FDTD) methods and obtain rigorously their error estimates in the nonrelativistic limit regime by paying particular attention to how error bounds depend explicitly on mesh size $h$ and time step $\tau$ as well as the small parameter $\varepsilon$. Based on the error bounds, in order to obtain `correct' numerical solutions in the nonrelativistic limit regime, i.e. $0<\varepsilon\ll 1$, the FDTD methods share the same $\varepsilon$-scalability on time step: $\tau=O(\varepsilon^3)$. Then we propose and analyze two numerical methods for the discretization of the Dirac equation by using the Fourier spectral discretization for spatial derivatives combined with the exponential wave integrator and time-splitting technique for temporal derivatives, respectively. Rigorous error bounds for the two numerical methods show that their $\varepsilon$-scalability on time step is improved to $\tau=O(\varepsilon^2)$ when $0<\varepsilon\ll 1$. Extensive numerical results are reported to support our error estimates.

Uniformly accurate numerical schemes for the nonlinear Dirac equation in the nonrelativistic limit regime

We apply the two-scale formulation approach to propose uniformly accurate (UA) schemes for solving the nonlinear Dirac equation in the nonrelativistic limit regime. The nonlinear Dirac equation involves two small scales \epsilon and \epsilon^2 with epsilon \to 0 in the nonrelativistic limit regime. The small parameter causes high oscillations in time which brings severe numerical burden for classical numerical methods. We transform our original problem as a two-scale formulation and present a general strategy to tackle a class of highly oscillatory problems involving the two small scales \epsilon and\epsilon^2. Suitable initial data for the two-scale formulation is derived to bound the time derivatives of the augmented solution. Numerical schemes with uniform (with respect to \epsilon\in (0;1]) spectral accuracy in space and uniform first order or second order accuracy in time are proposed. Numerical experiments are done to confirm the UA property.

Efficient time integration of the Maxwell–Klein–Gordon equation in the non-relativistic limit regime

The Maxwell–Klein–Gordon equation describes the interaction of a charged particle with an electromagnetic field. Solving this equation in the non-relativistic limit regime, i.e. the speed of light c formally tending to infinity, is numerically very delicate as the solution becomes highly-oscillatory in time. In order to resolve the oscillations, standard numerical time integration schemes require severe time step restrictions depending on the large parameter c2.The idea to overcome this numerical challenge is to filter out the high frequencies explicitly by asymptotically expanding the exact solution with respect to the small parameter c−2. This allows us to reduce the highly-oscillatory problem to its corresponding non-oscillatory Schrödinger–Poisson limit system. On the basis of this expansion we are then able to construct efficient numerical time integration schemes, which do NOT suffer from any c-dependent time step restriction.

Error estimates of numerical methods for the nonlinear Dirac equation in the nonrelativistic limit regime

We present several numerical methods and establish their error estimates for the discretization of the nonlinear Dirac equation in the nonrelativistic limit regime, involving a small dimensionless parameter $0<\varepsilon\ll 1$ which is inversely proportional to the speed of light. In this limit regime, the solution is highly oscillatory in time, i.e. there are propagating waves with wavelength $O(\varepsilon^2)$ and $O(1)$ in time and space, respectively. We begin with the conservative Crank-Nicolson finite difference (CNFD) method and establish rigorously its error estimate which depends explicitly on the mesh size $h$ and time step $\tau$ as well as the small parameter $0<\varepsilon\le 1$. Based on the error bound, in order to obtain `correct' numerical solutions in the nonrelativistic limit regime, i.e. $0<\varepsilon\ll 1$, the CNFD method requests the $\varepsilon$-scalability: $\tau=O(\varepsilon^3)$ and $h=O(\sqrt{\varepsilon})$. Then we propose and analyze two numerical methods for the discretization of the nonlinear Dirac equation by using the Fourier spectral discretization for spatial derivatives combined with the exponential wave integrator and time-splitting technique for temporal derivatives, respectively. Rigorous error bounds for the two numerical methods show that their $\varepsilon$-scalability is improved to $\tau=O(\varepsilon^2)$ and $h=O(1)$ when $0<\varepsilon\ll 1$ compared with the CNFD method. Extensive numerical results are reported to confirm our error estimates.

A uniformly accurate (UA) multiscale time integrator Fourier pseudospectral method for the Klein–Gordon–Schrödinger equations in the nonrelativistic limit regime

A multiscale time integrator Fourier pseudospectral (MTI-FP) method is proposed and analyzed for solving the Klein-Gordon-Schr\"{o}dinger (KGS) equations in the nonrelativistic limit regime with a dimensionless parameter $0<\varepsilon\le1$ which is inversely proportional to the speed of light. In fact, the solution to the KGS equations propagates waves with wavelength at $O(\varepsilon^2)$ and $O(1)$ in time and space, respectively, when $0<\varepsilon\ll 1$, which brings significantly numerical burdens in practical computation. The MTI-FP method is designed by adapting a multiscale decomposition by frequency to the solution at each time step and applying the Fourier pseudospectral discretization and exponential wave integrators for spatial and temporal derivatives, respectively. We rigorously establish two independent error bounds for the MTI-FP at $O(\tau^2/\varepsilon^2+h^{m_0})$ and $O(\varepsilon^2+h^{m_0})$ for $\varepsilon\in(0,1]$ with $\tau$ time step size, $h$ mesh size and $m_0\ge 4$ an integer depending on the regularity of the solution, which imply that the MTI-FP converges uniformly and optimally in space with exponential convergence rate if the solution is smooth, and uniformly in time with linear convergence rate at $O(\tau)$ for $\varepsilon\in(0,1]$ and optimally with quadratic convergence rate at $O(\tau^2)$ in the regime when either $\varepsilon=O(1)$ or $0<\varepsilon\le \tau$. Thus the meshing strategy requirement (or $\varepsilon$-scalability) of the MTI-FP is $\tau=O(1)$ and $h=O(1)$ for $0<\varepsilon\ll 1$, which is significantly better than classical methods. Numerical results demonstrate that our error bounds are optimal and sharp. Finally, the MTI-FP method is applied to study numerically convergence rates of the KGS equations to the limiting models in the nonrelativistic limit regime.

Partially Strong Transparency Conditions and a Singular Localization Method In Geometric Optics

This paper focuses on the stability analysis of WKB approximate solutions in geometric optics with the absence of strong transparency conditions. We introduce a compatible condition and a singular localization method which allows us to prove the stability of WKB solutions over long time intervals. This compatible condition is weaker than the strong transparency condition. The singular localization method allows us to do delicate analysis near resonances. As an application, we show the long time approximation of Klein-Gordon equations by Schr\"odinger equations in the non-relativistic limit regime.

A Uniformly Accurate Multiscale Time Integrator Pseudospectral Method for the Dirac Equation in the Nonrelativistic Limit Regime

We propose and rigourously analyze a multiscale time integrator Fourier pseudospectral (MTI-FP) method for the (linear) Dirac equation with a dimensionless parameter $\varepsilon\in(0,1]$ which is inversely proportional to the speed of light. In the nonrelativistic limit regime, i.e., $0<\varepsilon\ll 1$, the solution exhibits highly oscillatory propagating waves with wavelength $O(\varepsilon^2)$ and $O(1)$ in time and space, respectively. Due to the rapid temporal oscillation, designing and analyzing numerical methods with uniform error bounds in $\varepsilon\in(0,1]$ is quite challenging. We present the MTI-FP method based on properly adopting a multiscale decomposition of the solution of the Dirac equation and applying the exponential wave integrator with appropriate numerical quadratures. By a careful study of the error propagation and using the energy method, we establish two independent error estimates via two different mathematical approaches as $h^{m_0}+\frac{\tau^2}{\varepsilon^2}$ and $h^{m_0}+\tau^2+\varepsilon^2$, where $h$ is the mesh size, $\tau$ is the time step, and $m_0$ depends on the regularity of the solution. These two error bounds immediately imply that the MTI-FP method converges uniformly and optimally in space with exponential convergence rate if the solution is smooth, and uniformly in time with linear convergence rate at $O(\tau)$ for all $\varepsilon\in(0,1]$ and optimally with quadratic convergence rate at $O(\tau^2)$ in the regimes when either $\varepsilon=O(1)$ or $0<\varepsilon\lesssim \tau$. Numerical results are reported to demonstrate that our error estimates are optimal and sharp. Finally, the MTI-FP method is applied to study numerically the convergence rates of the solution of the Dirac equation to those of its limiting models when $\varepsilon\to0^+$.

On Time-Splitting Pseudospectral Discretization for Nonlinear Klein-Gordon Equation in Nonrelativistic Limit Regime

AbstractIn this work, we are concerned with a time-splitting Fourier pseudospectral (TSFP) discretization for the Klein-Gordon (KG) equation, involving a dimensionless parameterɛ ∊(0,1]. In the nonrelativistic limit regime, the smallɛproduces high oscillations in exact solutions with wavelength of(ɛ2) in time. The key idea behind the TSFP is to apply a time-splitting integrator to an equivalent first-order system in time, with both the nonlinear and linear subproblems exactly integrable in time and, respectively, Fourier frequency spaces. The method is fully explicit and time reversible. Moreover, we establish rigorously the optimal error bounds of a second-order TSFP for fixedɛ=(1), thanks to an observation that the scheme coincides with a type of trigonometric integrator. As the second task, numerical studies are carried out, with special efforts made to applying the TSFP in the nonrelativistic limit regime, which are geared towards understanding its temporal resolution capacity and meshing strategy for(ɛ2)-oscillatory solutions when 0 &lt;ɛ« 1. It suggests that the method has uniform spectral accuracy in space, and an asymptotic(ɛ−2Δt2) temporal discretization error bound (Δtrefers to time step). On the other hand, the temporal error bounds for most trigonometric integrators, such as the well-established Gautschi-type integrator in, are(ɛ−4Δt2). Thus, our method offers much better approximations than the Gautschi-type integrator in the highly oscillatory regime. These results, either rigorous or numerical, are valid for a splitting scheme applied to the classical relativistic NLS reformulation as well.

A Uniformly Accurate Multiscale Time Integrator Pseudospectral Method for the Klein--Gordon Equation in the Nonrelativistic Limit Regime

We propose and analyze a multiscale time integrator Fourier pseudospectral (MTI-FP) method for solving the Klein-Gordon (KG) equation with a dimensionless parameter $0<\varepsilon\leq1$ which is inversely proportional to the speed of light. In the nonrelativistic limit regime, i.e. $0<\varepsilon\ll1$, the solution to the KG equation propagates waves with amplitude at $O(1)$ and wavelength at $O(\varepsilon^2)$ in time and $O(1)$ in space, which causes significantly numerical burdens due to the high oscillation in time. The MTI-FP method is designed by adapting a multiscale decomposition by frequency (MDF) to the solution at each time step and applying an exponential wave integrator to the nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation with wave operator under well-prepared initial data for $\varepsilon^2$-frequency and $O(1)$-amplitude waves and a KG-type equation with small initial data for the reminder waves in the MDF. We rigorously establish two independent error bounds in $H^2$-norm to the MTI-FP method at $O(h^{m_0}+\tau^2+\varepsilon^2)$ and $O(h^{m_0}+\tau^2/\varepsilon^2)$ with $h$ mesh size, $\tau$ time step and $m_0\ge2$ an integer depending on the regularity of the solution, which immediately imply that the MTI-FP converges uniformly and optimally in space with exponential convergence rate if the solution is smooth, and uniformly in time with linear convergence rate at $O(\tau)$ for all $\varepsilon\in(0,1]$ and optimally with quadratic convergence rate at $O(\tau^2)$ in the regimes when either $\varepsilon=O(1)$ or $0<\varepsilon\le \tau$. Numerical results are reported to confirm the error bounds and demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the MTI-FP method for the KG equation, especially in the nonrelativistic limit regime.

Asymptotic preserving schemes for the Klein–Gordon equation in the non-relativistic limit regime

We consider the Klein–Gordon equation in the non-relativistic limit regime, i.e. the speed of light $$c$$ tending to infinity. We construct an asymptotic expansion for the solution with respect to the small parameter depending on the inverse of the square of the speed of light. As the first terms of this asymptotic can easily be simulated our approach allows us to construct numerical algorithms that are robust with respect to the large parameter $$c$$ producing high oscillations in the exact solution.

Analysis and comparison of numerical methods for the Klein–Gordon equation in the nonrelativistic limit regime

We analyze rigourously error estimates and compare numerically temporal/spatial resolution of various numerical methods for solving the Klein–Gordon (KG) equation in the nonrelativistic limit regime, involving a small parameter $${0 < {\varepsilon}\ll 1}$$ which is inversely proportional to the speed of light. In this regime, the solution is highly oscillating in time, i.e. there are propagating waves with wavelength of $${O({\varepsilon}^2)}$$ and O(1) in time and space, respectively. We begin with four frequently used finite difference time domain (FDTD) methods and obtain their rigorous error estimates in the nonrelativistic limit regime by paying particularly attention to how error bounds depend explicitly on mesh size h and time step τ as well as the small parameter $${{\varepsilon}}$$. Based on the error bounds, in order to compute ‘correct’ solutions when $${0 < {\varepsilon}\ll1}$$, the four FDTD methods share the same $${{\varepsilon}}$$ -scalability: $${\tau=O({\varepsilon}^3)}$$. Then we propose new numerical methods by using either Fourier pseudospectral or finite difference approximation for spatial derivatives combined with the Gautschi-type exponential integrator for temporal derivatives to discretize the KG equation. The new methods are unconditionally stable and their $${{\varepsilon}}$$ -scalability is improved to τ = O(1) and $${\tau=O({\varepsilon}^2)}$$ for linear and nonlinear KG equations, respectively, when $${0 < {\varepsilon}\ll1}$$. Numerical results are reported to support our error estimates.