A supra-convergent finite difference scheme for the variable coefficient Poisson equation on non-graded grids

We introduce a method for solving the variable coefficient Poisson equation on non-graded Cartesian grids that yields second order accuracy for the solutions and their gradients. We employ quadtree (in 2D) and octree (in 3D) data structures as an efficient means to represent the Cartesian grid, allowing for constraint-free grid generation. The schemes take advantage of sampling the solution at the nodes (vertices) of each cell. In particular, the discretization at one cell’s node only uses nodes of two (2D) or three (3D) adjacent cells, producing schemes that are straightforward to implement. Numerical results in two and three spatial dimensions demonstrate supra-convergence in the L∞ norm.