A Comparison of Results Using Second-Order Moments with and without Width Correction to Solve the Advection Equation

Abstract

The method of moments is used with and without a width-correction technique to solve the advection of a passive scalar. The method of moments is free of numerical dispersion but suffers from numerical diffusion (damping). In order to assess the effect of the width-correction procedure on reducing numerical diffusion, both versions are used to advect a passive scalar in straight-line and rotational wind fields. Although the width-correction procedure reduces numerical diffusion under some circumstances, the unmodified version of the second-moment procedure is better suited as a general method.