arXiv subjects

Matthias Schlottbom

Publications and source records attributed to Matthias Schlottbom.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Analysis and systematic discretization of a Fokker-Planck equation with Lorentz force

The propagation of charged particles through a scattering medium in the presence of a magnetic field can be described by a Fokker-Planck equation with Lorentz force. This model is studied both, from a theoretical and a numerical point of view. A particular trace estimate is derived for the relevant function spaces to clarify the meaning of boundary values. Existence of a weak solution is then proven by the Rothe method. In the second step of our investigations, a fully practical discretization scheme is proposed based on an implicit Euler method for the energy variable and a spherical-harmonics finite-element discretization with respect to the remaining variables. A complete error analysis of the resulting scheme is given and numerical test are presented to illustrate the theoretical results and the performance of the proposed method.

math.NA↗

arXiv2026

A trace theorem for spherical kinetic Sobolev spaces on $ρ$-convex domains

Trace theorems are an indispensable tool for the analysis of kinetic equations. They have been established in wide generality by Cessenat and co-workers for radiative transfer and related applications. A variety of trace estimates have been established for the kinetic Fokker-Planck and Kolmogorov equation, typically requiring smoothness of the underlying domain; see the recent survey by Niebel \& Valentini. In this work, we prove a new trace estimate for kinetic Sobolev spaces over the sphere for $ρ$-convex domains which, in general, may have a non-smooth boundary. Similar to the work of Cessenat, we use characteristics to obtain trace estimates in weighted trace spaces with explicit constants. For completeness, we also present a density result for the corresponding function spaces on Lipschitz domains.

math.AP↗

arXiv2026

Kreiss stability analysis of Hagstrom-Warburton nonreflecting boundary conditions for the first-order time-dependent Maxwell equations

We analyze the stability of the Hagstrom-Warburton nonreflecting boundary conditions (HW-NRBCs) for the first-order time-dependent Maxwell equations. The HW-NRBCs enjoy very small reflection coefficients and do not use high-order derivatives or nonlocal boundary operators, which makes them well-suited for high-order accurate numerical discretizations. The main result of this paper is an $L^2$ a-priori bound on the solution in terms of initial and boundary data and volume sources in a half-space. To obtain this result, we first derive a mapping that takes outgoing components to ingoing components of the solution of the Maxwell equations with HW-NRBCs, which shows that the Kreiss condition does not hold uniformly. Next, to prove stability, several symmetrizers are constructed, which establishes well-posedness in a generalized sense.

math.AP↗

arXiv2026

A Model Order Reduction Method for Seismic Applications Using the Laplace Transform

We devise and analyze a reduced basis model order reduction (MOR) strategy for an abstract wave problem with vanishing initial conditions and a source term given by the product of a temporal Ricker wavelet and a spatial profile. Such wave problems comprise the acoustic and elastic wave equations, with applications in seismic modeling. Motivated by recent Laplace-domain MOR methodologies, we construct reduced bases that approximate the time-domain solution with exponential accuracy. We prove convergence bounds that are explicit and robust with respect to the parameters controlling the Ricker wavelet's shape and width and identify an intrinsic accuracy limit dictated by the wavelet's value at the initial time. In particular, the resulting error bound is independent of the underlying Galerkin discretization space and yields computable criteria for the regime in which exponential convergence is observed.

math.NA↗

arXiv2025

Low-rank tensor product Richardson iteration for radiative transfer in plane-parallel geometry

The radiative transfer equation (RTE) has been established as a fundamental tool for the description of energy transport, absorption and scattering in many relevant societal applications, and requires numerical approximations. However, classical numerical algorithms scale unfavorably with respect to the dimensionality of such radiative transfer problems, where solutions depend on physical as well as angular variables. In this paper we address this dimensionality issue by developing a low-rank tensor product framework for the RTE in plane-parallel geometry. We exploit the tensor product nature of the phase space to recover an operator equation where the operator is given by a short sum of Kronecker products. This equation is solved by a preconditioned and rank-controlled Richardson iteration in Hilbert spaces. Using exponential sums approximations we construct a preconditioner that is compatible with the low-rank tensor product framework. The use of suitable preconditioning techniques yields a transformation of the operator equation in Hilbert space into a sequence space with Euclidean inner product, enabling rigorous error and rank control in the Euclidean metric.

math.NA↗

arXiv2025

On accelerated iterative schemes for anisotropic radiative transfer using residual minimization

We consider the iterative solution of anisotropic radiative transfer problems using residual minimization over suitable subspaces. We show convergence of the resulting iteration using Hilbert space norms, which allows us to obtain algorithms that are robust with respect to finite-dimensional realizations via Galerkin projections. We investigate in particular the behavior of the iterative scheme for discontinuous Galerkin discretizations in the angular variable in combination with subspaces that are derived from related diffusion problems. The performance of the resulting schemes is investigated in numerical examples for highly anisotropic scattering problems with heterogeneous parameters.

math.NA↗

arXiv2024

A metriplectic formulation of polarized radiative transfer

We present a metriplectic formulation of the radiative transfer equation with polarization and varying refractive index and show that this formulation automatically satisfies the first two laws of thermodynamics. In particular, the derived antisymmetric bracket enjoys the Jacobi identity. To obtain this formulation we suitably transform the equation and show that important physical quantities derived from the solution remain invariant under such a transformation.

math-ph↗

arXiv2024

High-order discretized ACMS method for the simulation of finite-size two-dimensional photonic crystals

The computational complexity and efficiency of the approximate mode component synthesis (ACMS) method is investigated for the two-dimensional heterogeneous Helmholtz equations, aiming at the simulation of large but finite-size photonic crystals. The ACMS method is a Galerkin method that relies on a non-overlapping domain decomposition and special basis functions defined based on the domain decomposition. While, in previous works, the ACMS method was realized using first-order finite elements, we use an underlying hp-finite element method. We study the accuracy of the ACMS method for different wavenumbers, domain decompositions, and discretization parameters. Moreover, the computational complexity of the method is investigated theoretically and compared with computing times for an implementation based on the open source software package NGSolve. The numerical results indicate that, for relevant wavenumber regimes, the size of the resulting linear systems for the ACMS method remains moderate, such that sparse direct solvers are a reasonable choice. Moreover, the ACMS method exhibits only a weak dependence on the selected domain decomposition, allowing for greater flexibility in its choice. Additionally, the numerical results show that the error of the ACMS method achieves the predicted convergence rate for increasing wavenumbers. Finally, to display the versatility of the implementation, the results of simulations of large but finite-size photonic crystals with defects are presented.

math.NA↗

arXiv2024

A kinetic chemotaxis model and its diffusion limit in slab geometry

Chemotaxis describes the intricate interplay of cellular motion in response to a chemical signal. We here consider the case of slab geometry which models chemotactic motion between two infinite membranes. Like previous works, we are particularly interested in the asymptotic regime of high tumbling rates. We establish local existence and uniqueness of solutions to the kinetic equation and show their convergence towards solutions of a parabolic Keller-Segel model in the asymptotic limit. In addition, we prove convergence rates with respect to the asymptotic parameter under additional regularity assumptions on the problem data. Particular difficulties in our analysis are caused by vanishing velocities in the kinetic model as well as the occurrence of boundary terms.

math.AP↗

arXiv2024

Non-utopian optical properties computed of a tomographically reconstructed real photonic nanostructure

State-of-the-art computational methods combined with common idealized structural models provide an incomplete understanding of experiments on real nanostructures, since manufacturing introduces unavoidable deviations from the design. We propose to close this knowledge gap by using the real structure of a manufactured crystal as input in computations to obtain a realistic comparison with observations on the same nanostructure. We demonstrate this approach on the structure of a real silicon inverse woodpile photonic bandgap crystal, obtained by previous synchrotron X-ray imaging. A 2D part of the dataset is selected and processed into a computational mesh suitable for a Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Method (DGFEM) to compute optical transmission spectra that are compared to those of a utopian crystal, i.e., a hypothetical model crystal with the same filling fraction where all pores are identical and circular. The nanopore shapes in the real crystal differ in a complex way from utopian pores, leading to a complex transmission spectrum with significant frequency speckle in and beyond the gap. The utopian model provides only a limited understanding of the spectrum: while it accurately predicts low frequency finite-size fringes and the lower band edge, the upper band edge is off, it completely misses the presence of speckle, the domination of speckle above the gap, and possible Anderson localized states in the gap. Moreover, unlike experiments where only external probes are available, numerical methods allow to study all fields everywhere. While the pore shapes hardly affect the fields at low frequency, major differences occur at high frequency such as localized fields deep inside the real crystal. In summary, using only external measurements and utopian models may give an erroneous picture of the fields and the LDOS inside a real crystal, which is remedied by our new approach.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Model order reduction for seismic applications

We propose a model order reduction approach to speed up the computation of seismograms, i.e. the solution of the seismic wave equation evaluated at a receiver location, for different model parameters. Our approach achieves a reduction of the unknowns by a factor of approximately 1000 for various numerical experiments for a 2D subsurface model of Groningen, the Netherlands, even if the wave speeds of the subsurface are relatively varied. Moreover, using parallel computing, the reduced model can approximate the (time domain) seismogram in a lower wall clock time than an implicit Newmark-beta method. To realize this reduction, we exploit the fact that seismograms are low-pass filtered for the observed seismic events by considering the Laplace-transformed problem in frequency domain. Therefore, we can avoid the high frequencies that would require many reduced basis functions to reach the desired accuracy and generally make the reduced order approximation of wave problems challenging. Instead, we can prove for our ansatz that for a fixed subsurface model the reduced order approximation converges exponentially fast in the frequency range of interest in the Laplace domain. We build the reduced model from solutions of the Laplace-transformed problem via a (Proper Orthogonal Decomposition-)Greedy algorithm targeting the construction of the reduced model to the time domain seismograms; the latter is achieved by using an a posteriori error estimator that does not require computing any time domain counterparts. Finally, we show that we obtain a stable reduced model thus overcoming the challenge that standard model reduction approaches do not necessarily yield a stable reduced model for wave problems.

math.NA↗

arXiv2023

A phase-space discontinuous Galerkin approximation for the radiative transfer equation in slab geometry

We derive and analyze a symmetric interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin scheme for the approximation of the second-order form of the radiative transfer equation in slab geometry. Using appropriate trace lemmas, the analysis can be carried out as for more standard elliptic problems. Supporting examples show the accuracy and stability of the method also numerically, for different polynomial degrees. For discretization, we employ quad-tree grids, which allow for local refinement in phase-space, and we show exemplary that adaptive methods can efficiently approximate discontinuous solutions. We investigate the behavior of hierarchical error estimators and error estimators based on local averaging.

math.NA↗

arXiv2023

Symmetries and Wavefunctions of Photons Confined in 3D Photonic Band Gap Superlattices

We perform a computational study of confined photonic states that appear in a three-dimensional (3D) superlattice of coupled cavities, resulting from a superstructure of intentional defects. The states are isolated from the vacuum by a 3D photonic band gap, using a diamond-like inverse woodpile crystal structure, and exhibit 'Cartesian' hopping of photons in high-symmetry directions. We investigate the confinement dimensionality to verify which states are fully 3D confined, using a recently developed scaling theory to analyze the influence of the structural parameters of the 3D crystal. We create confinement maps that trace the frequencies of 3D confined bands for select combinations of key structural parameters, namely the pore radii of the underlying regular crystal and of the defect pores. We find that a certain minimum difference between the regular and defect pore radii is necessary for 3D confined bands to appear, and that an increasing difference between the defect pore radii from the regular radii supports more 3D confined bands. In our analysis we find that their symmetries and spatial distributions are more varied than electronic orbitals known from solid state physics. We also discover pairs of degenerate 3D confined bands with p-like orbital shapes and mirror symmetries matching the symmetry of the superlattice. Finally, we investigate the enhancement of the local density of optical states (LDOS) for cavity quantum electrodynamics (cQED) applications. We find that donor-like superlattices, i.e., where the defect pores are smaller than the regular pores, provide greater enhancement in the air region than acceptor-like structures with larger defect pores, and thus offer better prospects for doping with quantum dots and ultimately for 3D networks of single photons steered across strongly-coupled cavities.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

An extension of the approximate component mode synthesis method to the heterogeneous Helmholtz equation

In this work we propose and analyze an extension of the approximate component mode synthesis (ACMS) method to the heterogeneous Helmholtz equation. The ACMS method has originally been introduced by Hetmaniuk and Lehoucq as a multiscale method to solve elliptic partial differential equations. The ACMS method uses a domain decomposition to separate the numerical approximation by splitting the variational problem into two independent parts: local Helmholtz problems and a global interface problem. While the former are naturally local and decoupled such that they can be easily solved in parallel, the latter requires the construction of suitable local basis functions relying on local eigenmodes and suitable extensions. We carry out a full error analysis of this approach focusing on the case where the domain decomposition is kept fixed, but the number of eigenfunctions is increased. The theoretical results in this work are supported by numerical experiments verifying algebraic convergence for the method. In certain, practically relevant cases, even exponential convergence for the local Helmholtz problems can be achieved without oversampling.

math.NA↗

arXiv2023

Unsupervised Machine Learning to Classify the Confinement of Waves in Periodic Superstructures

We employ unsupervised machine learning to enhance the accuracy of our recently presented scaling method for wave confinement analysis [1]. We employ the standard k-means++ algorithm as well as our own model-based algorithm. We investigate cluster validity indices as a means to find the correct number of confinement dimensionalities to be used as an input to the clustering algorithms. Subsequently, we analyze the performance of the two clustering algorithms when compared to the direct application of the scaling method without clustering. We find that the clustering approach provides more physically meaningful results, but may struggle with identifying the correct set of confinement dimensionalities. We conclude that the most accurate outcome is obtained by first applying the direct scaling to find the correct set of confinement dimensionalities and subsequently employing clustering to refine the results. Moreover, our model-based algorithm outperforms the standard k-means++ clustering.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Data driven gradient flows

We present a framework enabling variational data assimilation for gradient flows in general metric spaces, based on the minimizing movement (or Jordan-Kinderlehrer-Otto) approximation scheme. After discussing stability properties in the most general case, we specialise to the space of probability measures endowed with the Wasserstein distance. This setting covers many non-linear partial differential equations (PDEs), such as the porous medium equation or general drift-diffusion-aggregation equations, which can be treated by our methods independent of their respective properties (such as finite speed of propagation or blow-up). We then focus on the numerical implementation of our approach using an primal-dual algorithm. The strength of our approach lies in the fact that by simply changing the driving functional, a wide range of PDEs can be treated without the need to adopt the numerical scheme. We conclude by presenting detailed numerical examples.

math.NA↗

arXiv2022

Scaling theory of wave confinement in classical and quantum periodic systems

Functional defects in periodic media confine waves - acoustic, electromagnetic, electronic, spin, etc. - in various dimensions, depending on the structure of the defect. While defects are usually modelled by a superlattice with a typical band-structure representation of energy levels, determining the confinement associated with a given band is highly non-trivial and no analytical method is known to date. Therefore, we propose a rigorous method to classify the dimensionality of the confinement. Starting from the confinement energy and the mode volume, we use finite-size scaling to find that ratios of these quantities to certain powers yield the confinement dimensionality of each band. This classification has negligible additional computational costs compared to a band structure calculation and is valid for any type of wave in both quantum and classical regimes, and any dimension. In the quantum case, we illustrate our method on electronic confinement in 2D hexagonal BN with a nitrogen vacancy, which confirms the previous results. In the classical case, we study a three-dimensional photonic band gap cavity superlattice, where we identify novel acceptor-like behavior.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2022

On the unique solvability of radiative transfer equations with polarization

We investigate the well-posedness of the radiative transfer equation with polarization and varying refractive index. The well-posedness analysis includes non-homogeneous boundary value problems on bounded spatial domains, which requires the analysis of suitable trace spaces. Additionally, we discuss positivity, Hermiticity, and norm-preservation of the matrix-valued solution. As auxiliary results, we derive new trace inequalities for products of matrices.

math.AP↗