The Dirichlet difference problem for Poisson's equation 239
2
3 0 1
4
Figure 6. The regular "cross"-pattern
which is defined on the five-point pattern consisting of the nodes (x 1 ±
h 1 , x 2 ), (x 1 , x 2 ), (x 1 , x 2 ± h 2 ). Any such regular pattern is called a "cross"
pattern and is depicted in Fig. 6.
Here the symbol 0 corresponds to the point (x 1 , x 2 ), while the symbol
1 corresponds to the point (x 1 + h 1 , x 2 ), etc.
From formulae (3)-(5) and Fig. 6 it follows that
1 1
A v 0 = h 2 ( v 1 - 2 v 0 + v 3 ) + - 1 2 ( v 2 - 2 v 0 + v 4 ).
l^12
(6)
In particular, for h 1 = h 2 = h (on any square pattern) we thus have
(7)
The next step is to calculate the error of approximation of the Laplace
operator (2) by the difference operator (5). Since for o: = 1, 2
(8)
EJ2v. h2 EJ4v 4 h2 ., 4
A 0 v = ~ux 2 + _Q_ 12 ~ux 4 +O(h) (\' =Lav+ _Q_ 12 L;v+O(h) (\'
O' Lt
(see Chapter 2, Section 1), it is plain to derive the expression
This provides support for the view that
Av-6.v=O(lhl^2 ),