The phase flow method (Q860291)

The authors introduce the so-called phase flow method, a new approach to construct phase (or time-\(T\)-) maps \(g_T\) for flows generated by autonomous ordinary differential equations (ODEs) on a smooth compact invariant manifold \(M\). Instead of integrating an ODE for each individual initial condition, the phase flow method constructs the complete phase map at a given time \(T\). Its key ingredients can be sketched as follows: (1) Introduce a uniform or quasi-uniform grid on the invariant manifold \(M\). (2) Compute an approximation of \(g_\tau\) at time \(\tau=T/2^k\) using a standard ODE integration rule at each gridpoint and local interpolation between them. (3) Construct \(g_T=g_{2^k\tau}\) using the group property \(g_{2^k\tau}=g_{2^{k-1}\tau}\circ g_{2^{k-1}\tau}\). Then the computational complexity of building up the complete phase map is typically that of tracing a few rays. Moreover, the phase flow method is provably and empirically very accurate. Having the phase map available, integrating an ODE for initial conditions on an invariant manifold only requires local interpolation, thus having constant complexity. A large and illustrative part of the paper is devoted to an application of the method to the field of high frequency wave propagation (rapidly propagate wave fronts, rapidly calculate wave amplitudes along these wave fronts, rapidly evaluate multiple wave arrival times).