Butcher's simplifying assumption for symplectic integrators (Q1196879)

The order conditions for implicit Runge-Kutta methods are known to be in one-one correspondence with the set of rooted trees. A remarkable theorem is stated, which effectively removes many rooted trees from consideration, when the method is assumed to be symplectic. This rediscovered result was originally found by \textit{J. M. Sanz-Serna} and \textit{L. Abia} [SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 28, No. 4, 1081-1096 (1991)]. In the present paper, the combined effect is considered of this condition along with the simplifying assumptions commonly used with implicit Runge- Kutta methods of a general type. The results of the paper are summarized in a table showing minimal sets of order conditions for 3-and 4-stage symplectic Runge-Kutta methods.