Xi. Adaptive Grids

In an adaptive grid, the physics of the problem at hand must ultimately direct the grid points to distribute themselves so that a functional relationship on these points can represent the physical solution with sufficient accuracy. The idea is to have the grid points move as the physical solution develops, concentrating in regions of large variation in the solution as they emerge. The mathematics controls the points by sensing the gradients in the evolving physical solution, evaluating the accuracy of the discrete representation of the solution, communicating the needs of the physics to the points, and finally by providing mutual communication among the points as they respond to the physics. The basic techniques involved then are as follows: