Semi-discrete Schwarz waveform relaxation algorithms for reaction diffusion equations

For time dependent problems, the Schwarz waveform relaxation (SWR) algorithm can be analyzed both at the continuous and semi-discrete level. For consistent space discretizations, one would naturally expect that the semi-discrete algorithm performs as predicted by the continuous analysis. We show in this paper for the reaction diffusion equation that this is not always the case. We consider two space discretization methods—the 2nd-order central finite difference method and the 4th-order compact finite difference method, and for each method we show that the semi-discrete SWR algorithm with Dirichlet transmission condition performs as predicted by the continuous analysis. However, for Robin transmission condition the semi-discrete SWR algorithm performs worse than predicted by the continuous analysis. For each type of transmission conditions, we show that the convergence factors of the semi-discrete SWR algorithm using the two space discretization methods are (almost) equal. Numerical results are presented to validate our conclusions.