Racoon: A parallel mesh-adaptive framework for hyperbolic conservation laws

Abstract: We report on the development of a computational framework for the parallel, mesh-adaptive solution of systems of hyperbolic conservation laws like the time-dependent Euler equations in compressible gas dynamics or Magneto-Hydrodynamics (MHD) and similar models in plasma physics. Local mesh refinement is realized by the recursive bisection of grid blocks along each spatial dimension, implemented numerical schemes include standard finite-differences as well as shock-capturing central schemes, both in connection with Runge–Kutta type integrators. Parallel execution is achieved through a configurable hybrid of POSIX-multi-threading and MPI distribution with dynamic load balancing. One-, two- and three-dimensional test computations for the Euler equations have been carried out and show good parallel scaling behavior. The Racoon framework is currently used to study the formation of singularities in plasmas and fluids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]