Homogeneous schemes for second-order equations 147
with step h. Let k( s) be a vector function defined for -m 1 < s < m 2 and
called the coefficient pattern. In the sequel we are dealing with pattern
functionals
AJ^11 [k(s)], Eh [k(s)],
which usually depend on the parameter h and are defined for the vector
functions k(s), s E [ -niJJ m 2 ]. By a linear with respect to a grid function
yh homogeneous difference sche1ne is meant (L~k)yh)i = 0, where
Omitting the subscript i one can rewrite the preceding as
m2
L A~[k(x +sh)] yh(x + mh) + Bh[k(x +sh)].
The principal question in the theory of homogeneous difference sche-
mes is connected with further design of admissible schemes within a primary
family for solving a class of typical problems as wide as possible and choos-
ing the most efficient ones (in accuracy, volume of computations, etc.).
3.2 CONSERVATIVE SCHEMES
- An example of the sche1ne which is divergent in the case of discontinuous
coefficients. We now consider problen1 (1) of Section 2.1 with q _ 0 and
f - 0 incorporated:
(1) (ku')' = 0, O<x<l, u(O)=l, u(l)=O.
As one might expect, the derivative ( ku')' should be replaced by ku" + k' u'.
As a first step towards the construction of a second-order approxirnation,
it will be sensible t'o carry out the forthcmning substitutions
k' ~ ka = k z+1 - k z-1
x 2 h
'U. I ,...._, u 0 = -----1li+1 - l!i-1
x 2 h
u II ,...._, Uxx '
Within these notations, a reasonable form of the difference scheme is
(2) k· Yi+1 -^2 Yi + Yi-1 +
ki+1 - ki-1 Yi+1 - Yi-1
! h2 =0
2h 2h )
0 < i < N, Yo = 1, YN = 0.