A space-angle DGFEM approach for the Boltzmann radiation transport equation with local angular refinement

In this paper a new method for the discretization of the radiation transport equation is presented, based on a discontinuous Galerkin method in space and angle that allows for local refinement in angle where any spatial element can support its own angular discretization. To cope with the discontinuous spatial nature of the solution, a generalized Riemann procedure is required to distinguish between incoming and outgoing contributions of the numerical fluxes. A new consistent framework is introduced that is based on the solution of a generalized eigenvalue problem. The resulting numerical fluxes for the various possible cases where neighboring elements have an equal, higher or lower level of refinement in angle are derived based on tensor algebra and the resulting expressions have a very clear physical interpretation. The choice of discontinuous trial functions not only has the advantage of easing local refinement, it also facilitates the use of efficient sweep-based solvers due to decoupling of unknowns on a large scale thereby approaching the efficiency of discrete ordinates methods with local angular resolution. The approach is illustrated by a series of numerical experiments. Results show high orders of convergence for the scalar flux on angular refinement. The generalized Riemann upwinding procedure leads to stable and consistent solutions. Further the sweep-based solver performs well when used as a preconditioner for a Krylov method.