Asymptotic preserving (AP) schemes for multiscale kinetic and hyperbolic equations: a review

Kinetic and hyperbolic equations contain small scales (mean free path/time, Debye length, relaxation or reaction time, etc.) that lead to various different asymptotic regimes, in which the classical numerical approximations become prohibitively expensive. Asymptotic-preserving (AP) schemes are schemes that are efficient in these asymptotic regimes. The designing principle of AP schemes are to preserve, at the discrete level, the asymptotic limit that drives one (usually the microscopic) equation to its asymptotic (macroscopic) equation. An AP scheme is based on solving the microscopic equation, instead of using a multiphysics approach that couples different physical laws at different scales. When the small scale is not numerically resolved, an AP scheme automatically becomes a macroscopic solver for the limiting equation. The AP methodology offers simple, robust and efficient computational methods for a large class of multiscale kinetic, hyperbolic and other physical problems. This paper reviews the basic concept, designing principle and some representative AP schemes.