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Computational magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) for space physics has become an essential area in understanding the multiscale dynamics of geophysical and astrophysical plasma processes, partially motivated by the lack of space data. Full MHD simulations are typically very demanding and may require substantial computational efforts. In particular, computational space-weather forecasting is an essential long-term goal in this area, motivated for instance by the needs of modern satellite communication technology. We present a new feature of a recently developed compressible two- and three-dimensional MHD solver, which has been successfully implemented into the parallel AMROC (Adaptive Mesh Refinement in Object-oriented C++) framework with improvements concerning the mesh adaptation criteria based on wavelet techniques. The developments are related to computational efficiency while controlling the precision using dynamically adapted meshes in space-time in a fully parallel context.

We present a detailed comparison between two adaptive numerical approaches to solve partial differential equations (PDEs), adaptive multiresolution (MR) and adaptive mesh refinement (AMR). Both discretizations are based on finite volumes in space with second order shock-capturing, and explicit time integration either with or without local time-stepping. The two methods are benchmarked for the compressible Euler equations in Cartesian geometry. As test cases a 2D Riemann problem, Lax-Liu 6, and a 3D ellipsoidally expanding shock wave have been chosen. We compare and assess their computational efficiency in terms of CPU time and memory requirements. We evaluate the accuracy by comparing the results of the adaptive computations with those obtained with the corresponding FV scheme using a regular fine mesh. We find that both approaches yield similar trends for CPU time compression for increasing number of refinement levels. MR exhibits more efficient memory compression than AMR and shows slightly enhanced convergence; however, a larger absolute overhead is measured for the tested codes., Comment: Accepted pre-print for SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing

We present an adaptive multiresolution method for the numerical simulation of ideal magnetohydrodynamics in two space dimensions. The discretization uses a finite volume scheme based on a Cartesian mesh and an explicit compact Rung-Kutta scheme for time integration. Harten's cell average multiresolution allows to introduce a locally refined spatial mesh while controlling the error. The incompressibility of the magnetic field is controlled by using a Generalized Lagrangian Multiplier (GLM) approach with a mixed hyperbolic-parabolic correction. Different applications to two-dimensional problems illustrate the properties of the method. For each application CPU time and memory savings are reported and numerical aspects of the method are discussed. The accuracy of the adaptive computations is assessed by comparison with reference solutions computed on a regular fine mesh., Comment: 30 pages

A novel mesh refinement sensor is proposed for lattice Boltzmann methods (LBMs) applicable to either static or dynamic mesh refinement algorithms. The sensor exploits the kinetic nature of LBMs by evaluating the departure of distribution functions from their local equilibrium state. This sensor is first compared, in a qualitative manner, to three state-of-the-art sensors: (1) the vorticity norm, (2) the Q-criterion, and (3) spatial derivatives of the vorticity. This comparison shows that our kinetic sensor is the most adequate candidate to propose tailored mesh structures across a wide range of physical phenomena: incompressible, compressible subsonic/supersonic single phase, and weakly compressible multiphase flows. As a more quantitative validation, the sensor is then used to produce the computational mesh for two existing open-source LB solvers based on inhomogeneous, block-structured meshes with static and dynamic refinement algorithms, implemented in the Palabos and AMROC-LBM software, respectively. The sensor is first used to generate a static mesh to simulate the turbulent 3D lid-driven cavity flow using Palabos. AMROC-LBM is then adopted to confirm the ability of our sensor to dynamically adapt the mesh to reach the steady state of the 2D lid-driven cavity flow. Both configurations show that our sensor successfully produces meshes of high quality and allows to save computational time.

Extensions of the split-step Fourier method (SSFM) for Schr\"odinger-type pulse propagation equations for simulating femto-second pulses in single- and two-mode optical communication fibers are developed and tested for Gaussian pulses. The core idea of the proposed numerical methods is to adopt an operator splitting approach, in which the nonlinear sub-operator, consisting of Kerr nonlinearity, the self-steepening and stimulated Raman scattering terms, is reformulated using Madelung transformation into a quasilinear first-order system of signal intensity and phase. A second-order accurate upwind numerical method is derived rigorously for the resulting system in the single-mode case; a straightforward extension of this method is used to approximate the four-dimensional system resulting from the nonlinearities of the chosen two-mode model. Benchmark SSFM computations of prototypical ultra-fast communication pulses in idealized single- and two-mode fibers with homogeneous and alternating dispersion parameters and also high nonlinearity demonstrate the reliable convergence behavior and robustness of the proposed approach., Comment: To be included in collection about operator splitting methods

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) refers to the baroclinic generation of vorticity at a perturbed density interface when impacted by a shock wave. It is often thought of as the impulsive limit of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI). The fluid dynamics video "large-eddy simulations (LES) of RMI in a converging geometry" shows the mixing of materials resulting from the interaction of an imploding cylindrical shock wave with a concentric perturbed interface that separates outside light gas from heavy gas (initially 5 times denser) inside a wedge. At the initial impact, the incident shock Mach number is either 1.3 or 2.0. The present canonical simulations support recent interests on compressible turbulent mixing in converging geometries relevant to both inertial confinement fusion and core-collapse supernovae dynamics.