On discontinuous solutions of hyperbolic equations (Q1892449)

A modified Fourier method which is applicable to numerical simulations of discontinuous solutions to hyperbolic equations is presented. Initial value problems with discontinuous initial data for linear systems of hyperbolic partial differential equations are considered. Truncated Fourier series representations are de-truncated at every timestep by utilising step-functions in the reconstruction of discontinuous solutions. The de-truncated expansions are used to eliminate the numerical dispersion and diffusion which can ruin the discontinuous solutions. Some remarks on the application of spectral methods for discontinuous solutions of nonlinear problems in the form of conservation laws are also presented.