Venice: a multi-scale operator-splitting algorithm for multi-physics simulations

Abstract

We present {\sc Venice}, an operator splitting algorithm to integrate a numerical model on a hierarchy of timescales. {\sc Venice} allows a wide variety of different physical processes operating a different scales to be coupled on individual and adaptive time-steps. It therewith mediates the development of complex multi-scale and multi-physics simulation environments with a wide variety of independent components. The coupling between various physical models and scales is dynamic, and realized through (Strang) operators splitting using adaptive time steps. We demonstrate the functionality and performance of this algorithm using astrophysical models of a stellar cluster, first coupling gravitational dynamics and stellar evolution, then coupling internal gravitational dynamics with dynamics within a galactic background potential, and finally combining these models while also introducing dwarf galaxy-like perturbers. These tests show numerical convergence for decreasing coupling timescales, demonstrate how {\sc Venice} can improve the performance of a simulation by shortening coupling timescales when appropriate, and provide a case study of how {\sc Venice} can be used to gradually build up and tune a complex multi-physics model. Although the examples couple complete numerical models, {\sc Venice} can also be used to efficiently solve systems of stiff differential equations.

arXiv commentAccepted for publication by A&A

References in corpus (17)

• The Structure of Cold Dark Matter Halos
• On the variation of the Initial Mass Function
• galpy: A Python Library for Galactic Dynamics
• Supernova Type Ia progenitors from merging double white dwarfs: Using a new population synthesis model
• Multi-physics simulations using a hierarchical interchangeable software interface
• The Astrophysical Multipurpose Software Environment
• A multiphysics and multiscale software environment for modeling astrophysical systems
• The New Generation Planetary Population Synthesis (NGPPS). I. Bern global model of planet formation and evolution, model tests, and emerging planetary systems
• BRIDGE: A Direct-tree Hybrid N-body Algorithm for Fully Self-consistent Simulations of Star Clusters and their Parent Galaxies
• The evolution of embedded star clusters
• N-body Integrators with Individual Time Steps from Hierarchical Splitting
• Survivability of planetary systems in young and dense star clusters
• High order operator splitting methods based on an integral deferred correction framework
• Non-intrusive hierarchical coupling strategies for multi-scale simulations in gravitational dynamics
• Computational astrophysics for the future: An open, modular approach with agreed standards would facilitate astrophysical discovery
• A connected component-based method for efficiently integrating multiscale $N$-body systems
• On the suppression of giant planet formation around low-mass stars in clustered environments