A dissipative algorithm for wave-like equations in the characteristic formulation (Q1282380)

The author presents a dissipative algorithm for solving nonlinear wave-like equations with the initial data specified on the characteristic surfaces. The main features of this approach are the use of characteristic surfaces and the compactification methods to describe radiation properties. The algorithm presented in this article is directly applicable to hyperbolic systems of electromagnetism, Yang-Mills, and general relativity theories. The author analyses the stability of the algorithm and presents experiments with linear waves propagation on a Minkowski background and with the nonlinear scattering of a Schwarzschild black hole in general relativity. The variety of physical problems, where propagating waves are to be described, show an importance of the investigations on characteristic algorithms. The dissipative algorithm presented in this work provide useful tools in the numerical modelling of characteristic evolution equations.