Analytical, linear stability criteria for the leap-frog, DuFort-Frankel method (Q1061584)

The two-dimensional advective-diffusive problem studied is \[ \delta T/\delta t+U\delta T/\delta x+V\delta T/\delta y=K_ x\delta^ 2T/\delta x^ 2+K_ y\delta^ 2T/\delta y^ 2, \] T being the unknown, and U and V, \(K_ x\) and \(K_ y\) are the velocity and the diffusivity component along the x-and y-axis, respectively. The criterion of linear numerical stability associated with this equation is shown to be \((K_ x/\Delta x^ 2+K_ y/\Delta y^ 2)(U^ 2/K_ x+V^ 2/K_ y)\Delta t^ 2\leq 1\), where \(\Delta_ x\) and \(\Delta_ y\) are the grid spacings, and \(\Delta\) t is the time step.