Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The Lax Friedrichs method, named after Peter Lax and Kurt O. Friedrichs, is a numerical method for the solution of hyperbolic partial differential equations based on finite differences. The method can be described as the FTCS (forward in time, centered in space) scheme with an artificial viscosity term of 1/2. The Lax Friedrichs method is classified as having second-order dissipation and third order dispersion (Chu 1978, pg. 304). For functions that have discontinuities, the scheme displays strong dissipation and dispersion (Thomas 1995,
7.8); see figures at right.
7.8); see figures at right.