With considerations such as complex-dimensional geometries and nonlinearity, the computational solution of partial differential systems has become so involved that it is important to automate decisions that have been normally left to the individual. This book covers such decisions: 1) mesh generation with links to the software generating the domain geometry, 2) solution accuracy and reliability with mesh selection linked to solution generation. This book is suited for mathematicians, computer scientists and engineers and is intended to encourage interdisciplinary interaction between the diverse groups.

This IMA Volume in Mathematics and its Applications GRID GENERATION AND ADAPTIVE ALGORITHMS is based on the proceedings of a workshop with the same title. The work shop was an integral part of the 1996-97 IMA program on "MATHEMAT ICS IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING. " I would like to thank Marshall Bern (Xerox, Palo Alto Research Cen ter), Joseph E. Flaherty (Department of Computer Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), and Mitchell Luskin (School of Mathematics, Uni versity of Minnesota), for their excellent work as organizers of the meeting and for editing the proceedings. I also take this opportunity to thank the National Science Founda tion (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), and the Army Research Office (ARO), whose financial support made the workshop possible. Willard Miller, Jr. , Professor and Director v PREFACE Scientific and engineering computation has become so complex that traditional numerical computation on uniform meshes is generally not pos sible or too expensive. Mesh generation must reflect both the domain geometry and the expected solution characteristics. Meshes should, fur thermore, be related to the solution through computable estimates of dis cretization errors. This, suggests an automatic and adaptive process where an initial mesh is enriched with the goal of computing a solution with prescribed accuracy specifications in an optimal manner. While automatic mesh generation procedures and adaptive strategies are becoming available, major computational challenges remain. Three-dimensional mesh genera tion is still far from automatic.

This IMA Volume in Mathematics and its Applications MODELING, MESH GENERATION, AND ADAPTIVE NUMERICAL METHODS FOR PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS is based on the proceedings of the 1993 IMA Summer Program "Modeling, Mesh Generation, and Adaptive Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations." We thank Ivo Babuska, Joseph E. Flaherty, William D. Hen- shaw, John E. Hopcroft, Joseph E. Oliger, and Tayfun Tezduyar for orga- nizing the workshop and editing the proceedings. We also take this oppor- tunity to thank those agencies whose financial support made the summer program possible: the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Army Re- search Office (ARO) the Department of Energy (DOE), the Minnesota Su- percomputer Institute (MSI), and the Army High Performance Computing Research Center (AHPCRC). A vner Friedman Willard Miller, Jr. xiii PREFACE Mesh generation is one of the most time consuming aspects of com- putational solutions of problems involving partial differential equations. It is, furthermore, no longer acceptable to compute solutions without proper verification that specified accuracy criteria are being satisfied. Mesh gen- eration must be related to the solution through computable estimates of discretization errors. Thus, an iterative process of alternate mesh and so- lution generation evolves in an adaptive manner with the end result that the solution is computed to prescribed specifications in an optimal, or at least efficient, manner. While mesh generation and adaptive strategies are becoming available, major computational challenges remain. One, in particular, involves moving boundaries and interfaces, such as free-surface flows and fluid-structure interactions.