Computing undercompressive waves with the random choice scheme. Nonclassical shock waves (Q1395974)

The authors are interested in computing weak solutions of the initial-value problem for one-dimensional, nonlinear systems of conservation laws. In particular, they focus their attention on undercompressive shock waves, for which uniqueness is ensured when a kinetic relation is added along each undercompressive discontinuity. Their aim is to numerically investigate the stability and the large-time behavior of undercompressive shock waves, using the Glimm's random choice scheme. In particular, the van der Corput sequence is used instead of an arbitrary random sequence. They specifically consider the scalar conservation law with cubic flux-function and a hyperbolic model arising in nonlinear elastodynamics, and for such examples they consider nonclassical shocks. From the Conclusions: ``We have demonstrated that Glimm's scheme converges to exact solutions, even when the classical Riemann solver is replaced with a nonclassical Riemann solver. We have numerically observed that, under small perturbations, classical shock waves may be split into a nonclassical shock and a classical one. We have studied the time-asymptotic behavior of periodic solutions. We found that any periodic solution asymptotically converges to a constant state. Special attention was devoted to the maximally dissipative kinetic function, which allows us to exhibit still another interesting behavior of nonclassical entropy solutions. Generally speaking, the numerical solution converges for large times to an oscillating pattern involving only two constant values and a finite number of transitions propagating with the same speed.'' For a more detailed description of undercompressive shock waves, kinetic functions, nonclassical shocks, and nonclassical Riemann solvers, the reader is referred to a recent monograph of one of the two authors. All the numerical results are carefully described in the paper.