Digital filters in adaptive time-stepping

Adaptive time-stepping based on linear digital control theory has several advantages: the algorithms can be analyzed in terms of stability and adaptivity, and they can be designed to produce smoother stepsize sequences resulting in significantly improved regularity and computational stability. Here, we extend this approach by viewing the closed-loop transfer map H φ : logφ ↦ log h as a digital filter, processing the signal logφ (the principal error function) in the frequency domain, in order to produce a smooth stepsize sequence log h . The theory covers all previously considered control structures and offers new possibilities to construct stepsize selection algorithms in the asymptotic stepsize-error regime. Without incurring extra computational costs, the controllers can be designed for special purposes such as higher order of adaptivity (for smooth ODE problems) or a stronger ability to suppress high-frequency error components (nonsmooth problems, stochastic ODEs). Simulations verify the controllers' ability to produce stepsize sequences resulting in improved regularity and computational stability.