Fast estimation from above of the maximum wave speed in the Riemann problem for the Euler equations

This paper is concerned with the construction of a fast algorithm for computing the maximum speed of propagation in the Riemann solution for the Euler system of gas dynamics with the co-volume equation of state. The novelty in the algorithm is that it stops when a guaranteed upper bound for the maximum speed is reached with a prescribed accuracy. The convergence rate of the algorithm is cubic and the bound is guaranteed for gasses with the co-volume equation of state and the heat capacity ratio gamma in the range (1, 5/3]. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.