The sinc-Galerkin method for parameter-dependent self-adjoint problems (Q1206816)

This paper presents appropriate techniques to treat the parameter \(p(x)\) and general nonhomogeneous boundary conditions in problems of the type \(- (p(x)u'(x))'+q(x)u(x)=f(x)\), \(0<x<1\), \(a_ 0 u(0)-a_ 1u'(0)=a_ 2\), \(b_ 0 u(1)+b_ 1 u'(1)=b_ 2\), where \(| a_ 0|+| a_ 1|\neq 0\), \(| b_ 0|+| b_ 1|\neq 0\), \(| a_ 0|+| b_ 0|\neq 0\) and \(a_ 0 a_ 1\geq 0\), \(b_ 0 b_ 1\geq 0\). Two approaches for dealing with variable coefficients are presented; the first technique is especially useful for solving forward problems in a context where the maintenance of symmetry is important, whereas the second provides a method of discretization that can easily be incorporated into parameter recovery algorithms. Both techniques are easily extended to partial differential equations as well as the modifications that are presented for adapting can be extended to the general boundary conditions. In all cases, special emphasis is placed on maintaining the exponential convergence rate that is trademark of the sinc-Galerkin method. Numerical results are presented to substantiate the accuracy of the method.