Fully-Lagrangian and lattice-Boltzmann methods for solving systems of conservation equations (Q1339525)

A class of ``fully-Lagrangian'' methods for solving systems of conservation laws is defined. The key step is the definition of a new set of field variables for which Lagrangian discretization is trivial. Lattice-Boltzmann simulation schemes for solving such systems are shown to be a useful subclass of these fully-Lagrangian methods in which (a) the conservation laws are satisfied at each grid point, (b) the Lagrangian variables are expanded perturbatively, and (c) discretization error is used to represent physics. Such systems are typically derived using methods of kinetic theory. The numerical analysis approach in this paper shows that the conventional physical derivation is not essential, that it often confuses physics and numerics, and it can be unnecessarily constraining. This approach provides new prospective on the relationship between lattice-Boltzmann and finite difference techniques.