Artificial acceleration in accumulation due to coarse mass-coordinate divisions in numerical simulation

In the present examination of the effects of coarse mass-coordinate divisions in numerical computations of the coagulation equations, with a view to estimating the growth times of dust and planets, three different logarithmic divisions using 8, 2, and sq rt 2 as common ratios are used to solve these equations for simple coalescence-rate cases in which the analytic solutions are known. Substantial discrepancies are noted betweem analytical and numerical solutions; also, the growth time in early stages differs by a factor of about 10 between the cases of the 8 and sq rt 2 common cases. 14 refs