GALERKIN'S METHOD AND THE LOCAL POTENTIAL,

The advantages of viewing the local potential method as an application of Galerkins method are threefold 1 Variational formalism is avoided by using Galerkins method, a conceptually simple, straightforward approximating scheme 2 convergence proofs and other useful mathematical information are sometimes available for Galerkins method and 3 inasmuch as Galerkins method is actually only one member of a family of weighted-residual methods for direct approximation using trial functions with adjustable parameters, the way is plain to alternative direct methods for attacking a problem. From the standpoint of fluid mechanics and transport theory there is considerable need for careful and systematic comparisons of these more-or-less well -established schemes and for increased attention to them by mathematicians or numerical analysts.