Numerov's Method

Description

Numerov's method, also called Cowell's method, is an implicit fourth order method for approximating the solution of the second order differential equation y''(x) = f(x, y) with initial conditions y(x0) = y0, y'(x0) = y'0.

Note that the integrand f(x,y) does not depend upon y'.

Numerov's algorithm is derived by taking the difference of the Taylor series approximations for y(x + h) and y(x - h), then substituting f(x, y) for y''(x) and finally substituting the expression [ f(x + h, y(x + h)) -2 f(x, y) + f(x - h), y(x - h) ) ] / h2 for the second derivative of f(x, y). The result is

y(x + h) + y(x - h) = 2 y(x) + h2 f(x, y) + (h2 / 12) (f(x + h,y(x + h)) -2 f(x, y) + f(x - h), y(x - h)) ).

Let xn = x0 + nh, yn be the approximation to y(xn), and fn = f(xn, yn), the Numerov's method proceeds recursively via the implicit equation for yn + 1 as follows:

yn + 1 = 2yn - yn - 1 + h2 ( fn + ( fn + 1 - 2fn + fn - 1 ) / 12 ).

In order to begin the recursion, two successive starting values of y are required, one of which is y0 and the other starting value y1 is approximated by using a Runge-Kutta method.

Particular classes of problems may have a more accurate estimate for y1.

Richardson extrapolation may be used to increase to increase both the order and accuracy.

Function List

C Source