Reynolds-Number Scaling of Poisson Solver Complexity

Published:Dec 27, 2025 16:41
1 min read
ArXiv

Analysis

This paper investigates the computational complexity of solving the Poisson equation, a crucial component in simulating incompressible fluid flows, particularly at high Reynolds numbers. The research addresses a fundamental question: how does the computational cost of solving this equation scale with increasing Reynolds number? The findings have implications for the efficiency of large-scale simulations of turbulent flows, potentially guiding the development of more efficient numerical methods.

Reference

The paper finds that the complexity of solving the Poisson equation can either increase or decrease with the Reynolds number, depending on the specific flow being simulated (e.g., Navier-Stokes turbulence vs. Burgers equation).