The oxygen diffusion problem: Analysis and numerical solution

A recently derived numerical algorithm for one-dimensional time-dependent Stefan problems is applied to the classical moving boundary problem that arises from the diffusion of oxygen in absorbing tissue; in tandem with the Keller box finite-difference scheme, the so-called boundary immobilization method is used. New insights are obtained into three aspects of the problem: the numerical accuracy of the scheme used; the calculation of oxygen depletion time; and the behaviour of the moving boundary as the oxygen is depleted.