An analysis of stability and convergence of a finite-difference discretization of a model parabolic PDE in 1D using a moving mesh

The aim of this paper is to investigate the stability and convergence of time integration schemes for the solution of a semi-discretization of a model parabolic problem in 1D using a moving mesh. The spatial discretization is achieved using a second-order central finite-difference scheme. Using energy techniques we show that the backward Euler scheme is unconditionally stable in a mesh-dependent L2-norm, independently of the mesh movement, but the Crank–Nicolson (CN) scheme is only conditionally stable. By identifying the diffusive and anti-diffusive effects caused by the mesh movement, we devise an adaptive θ-method that is shown to be unconditionally stable and asymptotically second-order accurate. Numerical experiments are presented to back up the findings of the analysis.