Numerical methods for eighth-, tenth- and twelfth-order eigenvalue problems arising in thermal instability (Q1895921)

The authors study the problem of an infinite horizontal layer of fluid of uniform thickness, heated from below, rotating uniformly and subject to a uniform magnetic field acting in the same direction as gravity. Instability considered as overstability may be modelled by an eigth-order ordinary differential equation. Taking into account the uniform magnetic field, the ordinary convection can be modelled by a tenth-order differential equation, while overstability can be described by a twelfth-order differential equation. Two methods are applied in all three cases. In the first approach, a direct second-order numerical method is developed by approximating the derivatives in the model differential equations by second-order finite differences. In the second approach, the differential equations are transformed into equivalent second-order systems, and well-known finite difference second-order and fourth-order methods are used to obtain eigenvalues. By comparing the results given by the present theory with those known from the literature, a very good agreement is observed.