Christov expansion method for nonlocal nonlinear evolution equations

Abstract Christov functions are a complete orthonormal set of functions on L 2(-∞,∞) that allow us to expand derivatives, nonlinear products, and nonlocal (integro-differential) terms back into the same basis. These properties are beneficial when solving nonlinear evolution equations using Galerkin spectral methods. In this work, we demonstrate such a “Christov expansion method” for the Benjamin–Ono (BO) equation. In the BO equation, the dispersion term is nonlocal, given by the Hilbert transform of the second spatial derivative of the unknown function. The Hilbert transform of the Christov functions can be computed using complex integration and Cauchy’s residue theorem to obtain simple relations. Then, a Galerkin spectral expansion can be used to the solve the BO equation. Time integration is performed using a Crank–Nicolson-type scheme. Importantly, the Christov expansion method yields a banded matrix for the spatial discretization, even though the spatial terms are nonlocal. To demonstrate the approach and its implementation, we perform numerical experiments showing the steady propagation of single and the overtaking interaction of multiple BO solitary waves.