Asymptotical stability of numerical methods with constant stepsize for pantograph equations (Q2490356)

The analytical stability of the trivial solution of the pantograph equation as well as the stability of some numerical methods for this equation is studied. The authors consider the delay differential problems: (1) \( x'(t)= f(t, x(t), x(q t) )\), \( t \geq 0\), \(x(0)\in {\mathbb R}^{\nu}\) given with \( 0 <q<1\) and \( f(t,0,0)\equiv 0\) for all \( t \geq 0,\) and also the linear case \( f(t, x(t),x(q t)) \equiv a(t) x(t)+ b(t) x(q t)\). First of all, after defining several stability concepts, by using a technique due to Razumikhin the authors give some sufficient conditions on stability of the trivial solution of (1). This study is particularised to the linear case and compared to some results given earlier by \textit{A. Bellen} and \textit{M. Zennaro} [Numerical methods for delay differential equations, numerical mathematics and scientific computation. (Oxford: Oxford University Press) (2003; Zbl 1038.65058)]. In the second part of the paper the stability of the \(\theta\)-methods with constant step size is considered, giving conditions on \(\theta\) and the coefficients \(a(t)\) and \(b(t)\) that ensure the stability of the method. The paper also includes a few numerical experiments to estimate the accuracy and stability of \(\theta\)-methods for constant and quasi geometric step size sequences.