Wiggles

2 definitions found

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  wiggles n. [scientific computation] In solving partial differential
     equations by finite difference and similar methods, wiggles are sawtooth
     (up-down-up-down) oscillations at the shortest wavelength representable
     on the grid. If an algorithm is unstable, this is often the most
     unstable waveform, so it grows to dominate the solution. Alternatively,
     stable (though inaccurate) wiggles can be generated near a discontinuity


     by a Gibbs phenomenon.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  wiggles
       
          [scientific computation] In solving partial differential
          equations by finite difference and similar methods, wiggles
          are sawtooth (up-down-up-down) oscillations at the shortest
          wavelength representable on the grid.  If an algorithm is
          unstable, this is often the most unstable waveform, so it
          grows to dominate the solution.  Alternatively, stable (though
          inaccurate) wiggles can be generated near a discontinuity by a
          Gibbs phenomenon.