Optimal stability for trapezoidal-backward difference split-steps

Abstract

The marginal stability of the trapezoidal method makes it dangerous to use for highly non-linear oscillations. Damping is provided by backward differences. The split-step combination (αΔt trapezoidal, (1 – α)Δt for BDF2) retains second-order accuracy. The ‘magic choice’ a = 2 – √2 allows the same Jacobian for both steps, when Newton's method solves these implicit difference equations. That choice is known to give the smallest error constant, and we prove that a = 2 – √2 also gives the largest region of linearized stability.