The solution of the Boussinesq equation using the method of lines

Abstract The method of lines is used to transform the initial/boundary-value problem associated with the nonlinear hyperbolic Boussinesq equation, into a first-order, nonlinear, initial-value problem. Numerical methods are developed by replacing the matrix-exponential term in a recurrence relation by rational approximants. The resulting finite-difference methods are analysed for local truncation errors, stability and convergence. The results of a number of numerical experiments are given.