The Method of Characteristics with Applications to Conservation Laws

4. The Shock Applet

Use of the applet requires the Java 1.4 browser plug-in. If this plug-in is not already installed on your computer, the web page should direct you to the site where you can freely download and install it. If the script does not direct you to the plug-in, follow this link.

The applet provides two views. The window on the left shows the initial condition advancing in time, while the window on the right shows the data advancing along the characteristics in the x-t plane.

Select one of the three example from the equations menu:

The inviscid Burgers' equation option has five submenus corresponding to five different initial conditions. Press the go button to start the animation, the stop button to stop the animation, and the reset button to return to the initial conditions. For inviscid Burgers' equation, the applet can plot the weak solution (as a solid black curve) to the problem. This option may be turned on by checking it on the options menu.

Pressing the parameters button pops up a dialog that allows five parameters to be changed by the user: