English

A Novel Approach to the Initial Value Problem with a complete validated algorithm

Symbolic Computation 2026-01-21 v4 Numerical Analysis Numerical Analysis

Abstract

We consider the first order autonomous differential equation (ODE) x=f(x){\bf x}'={\bf f}({\bf x}) where f:RnRn{\bf f}: {\mathbb R}^n\to{\mathbb R}^n is locally Lipschitz. For x0Rn{\bf x}_0\in{\mathbb R}^n and h>0h>0, the initial value problem (IVP) for (f,x0,h)({\bf f},{\bf x}_0,h) is to determine if there is a unique solution, i.e., a function x:[0,h]Rn{\bf x}:[0,h]\to{\mathbb R}^n that satisfies the ODE with x(0)=x0{\bf x}(0)={\bf x}_0. Write x=IVPf(x0,h){\bf x} ={\tt IVP}_{\bf f}({\bf x}_0,h) for this unique solution. We pose a corresponding computational problem, called the End Enclosure Problem: given (f,B0,h,ε0)({\bf f},B_0,h,\varepsilon_0) where B0RnB_0\subseteq{\mathbb R}^n is a box and ε0>0\varepsilon_0>0, to compute a pair of non-empty boxes (B0,B1)(\underline{B}_0,B_1) such that B0B0\underline{B}_0\subseteq B_0, width of B1B_1 is <ε0<\varepsilon_0, and for all x0B0{\bf x}_0\in \underline{B}_0, x=IVPf(x0,h){\bf x}={\tt IVP}_{\bf f}({\bf x}_0,h) exists and x(h)B1{\bf x}(h)\in B_1. We provide a complete validated algorithm for this problem. Under the assumption (promise) that for all x0B0{\bf x}_0\in B_0, IVPf(x0,h){\tt IVP}_{\bf f}({\bf x}_0,h) exists, we prove the halting of our algorithm. This is the first halting algorithm for IVP problems in such a general setting. We also introduce novel techniques for subroutines such as StepA and StepB, and a scaffold datastructure to support our End Enclosure algorithm. Among the techniques are new ways refine full- and end-enclosures based on a {\bf radical transform} combined with logarithm norms. Our preliminary implementation and experiments show considerable promise, and compare well with current validated algorithms.

Cite

@article{arxiv.2502.00503,
  title  = {A Novel Approach to the Initial Value Problem with a complete validated algorithm},
  author = {Bingwei Zhang and Chee Yap},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2502.00503},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

36 pages, 4 figures