Spectral element-FCT method for the one- and two-dimensional compressible Euler equations

Abstract A hybrid spectral element-FCT method is proposed for the solution of the Euler equations of gas dynamics in one and two space dimensions. It is based on a new conservative formulation starting from standard spectral method expansions and incorporating ideas of modern finite volume schemes. A staggered mesh is employed in the discretization, consisting of Gauss—Chebyshev and Gauss—Lobatto—Chebyshev collocation points for the calculation of averaged quantities and fluxes, respectively. Use of limiting is based on the flux-corrected transport algorithm. The outcome is a geometrically flexible scheme with optimal phase properties. Both one- and two-dimensional results are presented, in which the Gibbs phenomenon is absent while all transition zones are exceptionally sharp.