Lattice Boltzmann method for tempered time-fractional diffusion equation

Tempered fractional calculus, as an extension of fractional calculus, has been successfully applied in numerous scientific and engineering fields. Although several traditional numerical methods have been improved for solving a variety of tempered fractional partial differential equations, solving these equations by the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method is an unresolved issue. This paper is dedicated to presenting a novel LB method for the tempered time-fractional diffusion equation. The tempered time-fractional diffusion equation is first transformed into an integer-order partial differential equation by approximating the tempered fractional derivative term. Then the LB method is proposed to solve the transformed objective equation. The Chapman-Enskog procedure is conducted to confirm that the present LB method can accurately recover the objective equation. Some numerical examples with an analytical solution are employed to validate the present LB method, and a strong consistency is observed between the numerical and analytical solutions. The numerical simulations indicate that the LB method is a second-order accurate scheme. The proposed LB method presents a new approach to solving the tempered time-fractional diffusion equation, which is beneficial for the widespread application of the tempered time-fractional diffusion equation in addressing complex transport problems.