Approximate solution of two dimensional disc-like systems by one dimensional reduction: an approach through the Green function formalism using the Finite Elements Method

Abstract

We present a comprehensive study for common second order PDE's in two dimensional disk-like systems and show how their solution can be approximated by finding the Green function of an effective one dimensional system. After elaborating on the formalism, we propose to secure an exact solution via a Fourier expansion of the Green function, which entails to solve an infinitely countable system of differential equations for the Green-Fourier modes that in the simplest case yields the source-free Green distribution. We present results on non separable systems$-$or such whose solution cannot be obtained by the usual variable separation technique$-$on both annulus and disc geometries, and show how the resulting one dimensional Fourier modes potentially generate a near-exact solution. Numerical solutions will be obtained via finite differentiation using FDM or FEM with the three-point stencil approximation to derivatives. Comparing to known exact solutions, our results achieve an estimated numerical relative error below $10^{-6}$.