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We analyze the central discontinuous Galerkin method for time-dependent linear conservation laws. In one dimension, optimal a priori $L^2$ error estimates of order $k+1$ are obtained for the semidiscrete scheme when piecewise polynomials of degree at most $k$ ($k\geq0$) are used on overlapping uniform meshes. We then extend the analysis to multidimensions on uniform Cartesian meshes when piecewise tensor-product polynomials are used on overlapping meshes. Numerical experiments are given to demonstrate the theoretical results.

The central scheme of Nessyahu and Tadmor [J. Comput. Phys., 87 (1990), pp. 408-463] solves hyperbolic conservation laws on a staggered mesh and avoids solving Riemann problems across cell boundaries. To overcome the difficulty of excessive numerical dissipation for small time steps, the recent work of Kurganov and Tadmor [J. Comput. Phys., 160 (2000), pp. 241-282] employs a variable control volume, which in turn yields a semidiscrete nonstaggered central scheme. Another approach, which we advocate here, is to view the staggered meshes as a collection of overlapping cells and to realize the computed solution by its overlapping cell averages. This leads to a simple technique to avoid the excessive numerical dissipation for small time steps [Y. Liu, J. Comput. Phys., 209 (2005), pp. 82-104]. At the heart of the proposed approach is the evolution of two pieces of information per cell, instead of one cell average which characterizes all central and upwind Godunov-type finite volume schemes. Overlapping cells lend themselves to the development of a central-type discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method, following the series of works by Cockburn and Shu [J. Comput. Phys., 141 (1998), pp. 199-224] and the references therein. In this paper we develop a central DG technique for hyperbolic conservation laws, where we take advantage of the redundant representation of the solution on overlapping cells. The use of redundant overlapping cells opens new possibilities beyond those of Godunov-type schemes. In particular, the central DG is coupled with a novel reconstruction procedure which removes spurious oscillations in the presence of shocks. This reconstruction is motivated by the moments limiter of Biswas, Devine, and Flaherty [Appl. Numer. Math., 14 (1994), pp. 255-283] but is otherwise different in its hierarchical approach. The new hierarchical reconstruction involves a MUSCL or a second order ENO reconstruction in each stage of a multilayer reconstruction process without characteristic decomposition. It is compact, easy to implement over arbitrary meshes, and retains the overall preprocessed order of accuracy while effectively removing spurious oscillations around shocks.

In this paper we discuss two explicit finite difference schemes, namely a first order upwind scheme and a second order high resolution scheme, for solving a hierarchical size-structured population model with nonlinear growth, mortality, and reproduction rates. We prove stability and convergence for both schemes and provide numerical examples to demonstrate their capability in solving smooth and discontinuous solutions.