Calculus of Variations and Geometric Measure Theory

D. Bourne - C. Egan - B. Pelloni - M. Wilkinson

Semi-discrete optimal transport methods for the semi-geostrophic equations

created by bourne on 09 Sep 2020
modified on 17 Jan 2022

[BibTeX]

Published Paper

Inserted: 9 sep 2020
Last Updated: 17 jan 2022

Journal: Calculus of Variations and Partial Differential Equations
Volume: 61
Year: 2022
Doi: 10.1007/s00526-021-02133-z
Links: published online here

Abstract:

We give a new and constructive proof of the existence of global-in-time weak solutions of the 3-dimensional incompressible semi-geostrophic equations (SG) in geostrophic coordinates, for arbitrary initial measures with compact support. This new proof, based on semi-discrete optimal transport techniques, works by characterising discrete solutions of SG in geostrophic coordinates in terms of trajectories satisfying an ordinary differential equation. It is advantageous in its simplicity and its explicit relation to Eulerian coordinates through the use of Laguerre tessellations. Using our method, we obtain improved time-regularity for a large class of discrete initial measures, and we compute explicitly two discrete solutions. The method naturally gives rise to an efficient numerical method, which we illustrate by presenting simulations of a 2-dimensional semi-geostrophic flow in geostrophic coordinates generated using a numerical solver for the semi-discrete optimal transport problem coupled with an ordinary differential equation solver.


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