An adaptive BDF2 implicit time-stepping method for the phase field crystal model

08/01/2020

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by   Hong-lin Liao, et al.

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An adaptive BDF2 implicit time-stepping method is analyzed for the phase field crystal model. The suggested method is proved to preserve a modified energy dissipation law at the discrete levels if the time-step ratios r_k:=τ_k/τ_k-1<3.561, a recent zero-stability restriction of variable-step BDF2 scheme for ordinary differential problems. By using the discrete orthogonal convolution kernels and the corresponding convolution inequalities, an optimal L^2 norm error estimate is established under the weak step-ratio restriction 0<r_k<3.561 ensuring the energy stability. This is the first time such error estimate is theoretically proved for a nonlinear parabolic equation. On the basis of ample tests on random time meshes, a useful adaptive time-stepping strategy is suggested to efficiently capture the multi-scale behaviors and to accelerate the numerical simulations.