|
| 1 | +## Solving the Wave Equation with Devito {#sec-wave-devito} |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +In this section we demonstrate how to solve the wave equation using the |
| 4 | +Devito domain-specific language (DSL). Devito allows us to write the |
| 5 | +PDE symbolically and generates optimized C code automatically. |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +### From Mathematics to Devito Code |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +Recall the 1D wave equation from @sec-wave-string: |
| 10 | +$$ |
| 11 | +\frac{\partial^2 u}{\partial t^2} = c^2 \frac{\partial^2 u}{\partial x^2}, |
| 12 | +\quad x \in (0, L),\ t \in (0, T] |
| 13 | +$$ {#eq-wave-devito-pde} |
| 14 | +with initial conditions $u(x, 0) = I(x)$ and $\partial u/\partial t|_{t=0} = V(x)$, |
| 15 | +and boundary conditions $u(0, t) = u(L, t) = 0$. |
| 16 | +
|
| 17 | +In Devito, we express this PDE directly using symbolic derivatives. |
| 18 | +The key abstractions are: |
| 19 | +
|
| 20 | +- **Grid**: Defines the discrete domain |
| 21 | +- **TimeFunction**: A field that varies in both space and time |
| 22 | +- **Eq**: An equation relating symbolic expressions |
| 23 | +- **Operator**: Compiles equations to optimized C code |
| 24 | +
|
| 25 | +### The Devito Grid |
| 26 | +
|
| 27 | +A Devito `Grid` defines the discrete spatial domain: |
| 28 | +
|
| 29 | +```python |
| 30 | +from devito import Grid |
| 31 | +
|
| 32 | +L = 1.0 # Domain length |
| 33 | +Nx = 100 # Number of grid intervals |
| 34 | +
|
| 35 | +grid = Grid(shape=(Nx + 1,), extent=(L,)) |
| 36 | +``` |
| 37 | +
|
| 38 | +The `shape` is the number of grid points (including boundaries), |
| 39 | +and `extent` is the physical size of the domain. |
| 40 | +
|
| 41 | +### TimeFunction for the Wave Field |
| 42 | +
|
| 43 | +The solution $u(x, t)$ is represented by a `TimeFunction`: |
| 44 | +
|
| 45 | +```python |
| 46 | +from devito import TimeFunction |
| 47 | +
|
| 48 | +u = TimeFunction(name='u', grid=grid, time_order=2, space_order=2) |
| 49 | +``` |
| 50 | +
|
| 51 | +The key parameters are: |
| 52 | +
|
| 53 | +- `time_order=2`: We need $u^{n+1}$, $u^n$, $u^{n-1}$ for the wave equation |
| 54 | +- `space_order=2`: Central difference with second-order accuracy |
| 55 | +
|
| 56 | +### Symbolic Derivatives |
| 57 | +
|
| 58 | +Devito provides symbolic access to derivatives through attribute notation: |
| 59 | +
|
| 60 | +| Derivative | Devito syntax | Mathematical meaning | |
| 61 | +|------------|---------------|---------------------| |
| 62 | +| First time | `u.dt` | $\partial u/\partial t$ | |
| 63 | +| Second time | `u.dt2` | $\partial^2 u/\partial t^2$ | |
| 64 | +| First space | `u.dx` | $\partial u/\partial x$ | |
| 65 | +| Second space | `u.dx2` | $\partial^2 u/\partial x^2$ | |
| 66 | +
|
| 67 | +### Formulating the PDE |
| 68 | +
|
| 69 | +We express the wave equation as a residual that should be zero: |
| 70 | +
|
| 71 | +```python |
| 72 | +from devito import Eq, solve, Constant |
| 73 | +
|
| 74 | +c_sq = Constant(name='c_sq') # Wave speed squared |
| 75 | +
|
| 76 | +# PDE: u_tt - c^2 * u_xx = 0 |
| 77 | +pde = u.dt2 - c_sq * u.dx2 |
| 78 | +``` |
| 79 | +
|
| 80 | +The `solve` function isolates the unknown $u^{n+1}$: |
| 81 | +
|
| 82 | +```python |
| 83 | +stencil = Eq(u.forward, solve(pde, u.forward)) |
| 84 | +``` |
| 85 | +
|
| 86 | +Here `u.forward` represents $u^{n+1}$, the solution at the next time level. |
| 87 | +
|
| 88 | +### Boundary Conditions |
| 89 | +
|
| 90 | +For Dirichlet conditions $u(0, t) = u(L, t) = 0$, we add explicit equations: |
| 91 | +
|
| 92 | +```python |
| 93 | +t_dim = grid.stepping_dim # Time index dimension |
| 94 | +
|
| 95 | +bc_left = Eq(u[t_dim + 1, 0], 0) |
| 96 | +bc_right = Eq(u[t_dim + 1, Nx], 0) |
| 97 | +``` |
| 98 | +
|
| 99 | +### Creating and Running the Operator |
| 100 | +
|
| 101 | +The `Operator` compiles all equations into optimized code: |
| 102 | +
|
| 103 | +```python |
| 104 | +from devito import Operator |
| 105 | +
|
| 106 | +op = Operator([stencil, bc_left, bc_right]) |
| 107 | +``` |
| 108 | +
|
| 109 | +To execute a time step, we call: |
| 110 | +
|
| 111 | +```python |
| 112 | +op.apply(time_m=1, time_M=1, dt=dt, c_sq=c**2) |
| 113 | +``` |
| 114 | +
|
| 115 | +### Complete Solver Implementation |
| 116 | +
|
| 117 | +The module `src.wave` provides a complete solver that handles: |
| 118 | +
|
| 119 | +- Initial conditions with velocity ($u_t(x, 0) = V(x)$) |
| 120 | +- CFL stability checking |
| 121 | +- Optional history storage |
| 122 | +
|
| 123 | +```python |
| 124 | +from src.wave import solve_wave_1d |
| 125 | +import numpy as np |
| 126 | +
|
| 127 | +# Define initial condition: plucked string |
| 128 | +def I(x): |
| 129 | + return np.sin(np.pi * x) |
| 130 | +
|
| 131 | +# Solve |
| 132 | +result = solve_wave_1d( |
| 133 | + L=1.0, # Domain length |
| 134 | + c=1.0, # Wave speed |
| 135 | + Nx=100, # Grid points |
| 136 | + T=1.0, # Final time |
| 137 | + C=0.9, # Courant number |
| 138 | + I=I, # Initial displacement |
| 139 | +) |
| 140 | +
|
| 141 | +# Access results |
| 142 | +u_final = result.u # Solution at final time |
| 143 | +x = result.x # Spatial grid |
| 144 | +``` |
| 145 | +
|
| 146 | +### The Courant Number and Stability |
| 147 | +
|
| 148 | +The Courant number $C = c \Delta t / \Delta x$ determines stability. |
| 149 | +For the explicit wave equation solver, we require $C \le 1$. |
| 150 | +
|
| 151 | +When $C = 1$ (the magic value), the numerical solution is **exact** |
| 152 | +for waves traveling in either direction. This is because the |
| 153 | +domain of dependence of the numerical scheme exactly matches |
| 154 | +the physical domain of dependence. |
| 155 | +
|
| 156 | +### Handling Initial Velocity |
| 157 | +
|
| 158 | +The first time step requires special treatment when $V(x) \ne 0$. |
| 159 | +Using the Taylor expansion: |
| 160 | +$$ |
| 161 | +u^1 = u^0 + \Delta t \cdot V(x) + \frac{1}{2} \Delta t^2 c^2 u_{xx}^0 |
| 162 | +$$ |
| 163 | +
|
| 164 | +The solver implements this as: |
| 165 | +
|
| 166 | +```python |
| 167 | +u0 = I(x_coords) |
| 168 | +v0 = V(x_coords) |
| 169 | +u_xx_0 = np.zeros_like(u0) |
| 170 | +u_xx_0[1:-1] = (u0[2:] - 2*u0[1:-1] + u0[:-2]) / dx**2 |
| 171 | +
|
| 172 | +u1 = u0 + dt * v0 + 0.5 * dt**2 * c**2 * u_xx_0 |
| 173 | +``` |
| 174 | +
|
| 175 | +### Verification: Standing Wave Solution |
| 176 | +
|
| 177 | +The standing wave with $I(x) = A \sin(\pi x / L)$ and $V = 0$ has |
| 178 | +the exact solution: |
| 179 | +$$ |
| 180 | +u(x, t) = A \sin\left(\frac{\pi x}{L}\right) \cos\left(\frac{\pi c t}{L}\right) |
| 181 | +$$ |
| 182 | +
|
| 183 | +We can verify our implementation converges at the expected rate: |
| 184 | +
|
| 185 | +```python |
| 186 | +from src.wave import convergence_test_wave_1d |
| 187 | +
|
| 188 | +grid_sizes, errors, rate = convergence_test_wave_1d( |
| 189 | + grid_sizes=[20, 40, 80, 160], |
| 190 | + T=0.5, |
| 191 | + C=0.9, |
| 192 | +) |
| 193 | +
|
| 194 | +print(f"Observed convergence rate: {rate:.2f}") # Should be ~2.0 |
| 195 | +``` |
| 196 | +
|
| 197 | +### Visualization |
| 198 | +
|
| 199 | +For time-dependent problems, animation is essential. With the |
| 200 | +history saved, we can create animations: |
| 201 | +
|
| 202 | +```python |
| 203 | +import matplotlib.pyplot as plt |
| 204 | +from matplotlib.animation import FuncAnimation |
| 205 | +
|
| 206 | +result = solve_wave_1d( |
| 207 | + L=1.0, c=1.0, Nx=100, T=2.0, C=0.9, |
| 208 | + save_history=True, |
| 209 | +) |
| 210 | +
|
| 211 | +fig, ax = plt.subplots() |
| 212 | +line, = ax.plot(result.x, result.u_history[0]) |
| 213 | +ax.set_ylim(-1.2, 1.2) |
| 214 | +ax.set_xlabel('x') |
| 215 | +ax.set_ylabel('u') |
| 216 | +
|
| 217 | +def update(frame): |
| 218 | + line.set_ydata(result.u_history[frame]) |
| 219 | + ax.set_title(f't = {result.t_history[frame]:.3f}') |
| 220 | + return line, |
| 221 | +
|
| 222 | +anim = FuncAnimation(fig, update, frames=len(result.t_history), |
| 223 | + interval=50, blit=True) |
| 224 | +``` |
| 225 | +
|
| 226 | +### Summary: Devito vs. NumPy |
| 227 | +
|
| 228 | +The key advantages of using Devito for wave equations: |
| 229 | +
|
| 230 | +1. **Symbolic PDEs**: Write the math, not the stencils |
| 231 | +2. **Automatic optimization**: Cache-efficient loops generated automatically |
| 232 | +3. **Parallelization**: OpenMP/MPI/GPU support without code changes |
| 233 | +4. **Dimension-agnostic**: Same code pattern works for 1D, 2D, 3D |
| 234 | +
|
| 235 | +The explicit time-stepping loop remains visible to the user for |
| 236 | +educational purposes, but Devito handles the spatial discretization |
| 237 | +and can generate highly optimized code for the inner loop. |
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