UC Berkeley

A fourth-order accurate finite-volume method is presented for solving time-dependent hyperbolic systems of conservation laws on mapped grids that are adaptively refined in space and time. Novel considerations for formulating the semi-discrete system of equations in computational space are combined with detailed mechanisms for accommodating the adapting grids. These considerations ensure that conservation is maintained and that the divergence of a constant vector field is always zero (freestream-preservation property). The solution in time is advanced with a fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. A series of tests verifies that the expected accuracy is achieved in smooth flows and the solution of a Mach reflection problem demonstrates the effectiveness of the algorithm in resolving strong discontinuities.