On the convection boundedness of numerical schemes across discontinuities

TL;DR

This paper presents a new diagnostic tool based on the convection boundedness criterion and normalized variable diagram to evaluate and improve numerical schemes' performance across discontinuities, ensuring stability and reducing oscillations.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel diagnostic method for assessing and enhancing the convection boundedness of numerical schemes across discontinuities, including a new scheme with relaxed CFL conditions.

Findings

The diagnostic tool effectively identifies over- and under-shoots.

Application to schemes like THINC, WENO, and TENO validates its utility.

A new THINC scheme with less restrictive CFL conditions is developed.

Abstract

This short note introduces a novel diagnostic tool for evaluating the convection boundedness properties of numerical schemes across discontinuities. The proposed method is based on the convection boundedness criterion and the normalised variable diagram. By utilising this tool, we can determine the CFL conditions for numerical schemes to satisfy the convection boundedness criterion, identify the locations of over- and under-shoots, optimize the free parameters in the schemes, and develop strategies to prevent numerical oscillations across the discontinuity. We apply the diagnostic tool to assess representative discontinuity-capturing schemes, including THINC, fifth-order WENO, and fifth-order TENO, and validate the conclusions drawn through numerical tests. We further demonstrate the application of the proposed method by formulating a new THINC scheme with less stringent CFL conditions.