High-accuracy analysis of three-dimensional advection equation using finite difference methods

Instability of numerical flow analysis at high Reynolds number is caused by spurious high-wave-number oscillations which are produced by the convection term of the Navier-Stokes equation. To correct the instability, some finite difference methods for the convection term have been proposed, such as the QUICK method, the QUICKEST method and the third-order upwind difference method. In this paper, the stability and accuracy of typical finite difference methods, i.e., the 2nd-order centered difference method, the QUICK method, the 3rd-order upwind difference method, the QUICKEST method, the 4th-order centered difference method, the 5th-order upwind difference method and the 6th-order centered difference method, are evaluated by computing the three-dimensional advection equation, i.e., the rotating sphere problem. The 3rd-order Adams-Bashforth method is mainly applied as a time integration method.