A new fourth-order numerical algorithm for a class of nonlinear wave equations (Q1760119)

The authors consider the two-dimensional telegraphic equation with nonlinear source function and construct for its first-kind boundary value problem in a rectangle a compact difference scheme with factorised (or ``splitted'') operator. This leads to an ADI-method for the numerical solution handled in the manner of \textit{E. G. D'yakonov} [Sov. Math., Dokl. 3, 645--648 (1962); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 144, 29--32 (1962; Zbl 0178.52001)] or \textit{J. Douglas jun.} and \textit{J. E. Gunn} [Numer. Math. 6, 428--453 (1964; Zbl 0141.33103)] to obtain a series of one-dimensional difference equations. Under appropriate smoothness conditions (like Lipschitz continuity of the nonlinearity with sufficiently small Lipschitz constant) they prove that the order of their method is \(O(\Delta t^2+h_x^4+h_y^4)\) in the \(H^1\)-norm (and, under the restriction \(\Delta t\leq h^{\frac12+\epsilon}\), also in the maximum norm). To rise this order to \(O(\Delta t^4+h_x^4+h_y^4)\) they employ a three-level Richardson extrapolation. A number of numerical experiments illustrates the theory and shows the effectiveness of the approach.