$$ \newcommand{\uex}{{u_{\small\mbox{e}}}} \newcommand{\uexd}[1]{{u_{\small\mbox{e}, #1}}} \newcommand{\vex}{{v_{\small\mbox{e}}}} \newcommand{\vexd}[1]{{v_{\small\mbox{e}, #1}}} \newcommand{\Aex}{{A_{\small\mbox{e}}}} \newcommand{\half}{\frac{1}{2}} \newcommand{\halfi}{{1/2}} \newcommand{\tp}{\thinspace .} \newcommand{\Ddt}[1]{\frac{D #1}{dt}} \newcommand{\E}[1]{\hbox{E}\lbrack #1 \rbrack} \newcommand{\Var}[1]{\hbox{Var}\lbrack #1 \rbrack} \newcommand{\Std}[1]{\hbox{Std}\lbrack #1 \rbrack} \newcommand{\xpoint}{\boldsymbol{x}} \newcommand{\normalvec}{\boldsymbol{n}} \newcommand{\Oof}[1]{\mathcal{O}(#1)} \newcommand{\x}{\boldsymbol{x}} \newcommand{\X}{\boldsymbol{X}} \renewcommand{\u}{\boldsymbol{u}} \renewcommand{\v}{\boldsymbol{v}} \newcommand{\w}{\boldsymbol{w}} \newcommand{\V}{\boldsymbol{V}} \newcommand{\e}{\boldsymbol{e}} \newcommand{\f}{\boldsymbol{f}} \newcommand{\F}{\boldsymbol{F}} \newcommand{\stress}{\boldsymbol{\sigma}} \newcommand{\strain}{\boldsymbol{\varepsilon}} \newcommand{\stressc}{{\sigma}} \newcommand{\strainc}{{\varepsilon}} \newcommand{\I}{\boldsymbol{I}} \newcommand{\T}{\boldsymbol{T}} \newcommand{\dfc}{\alpha} % diffusion coefficient \newcommand{\ii}{\boldsymbol{i}} \newcommand{\jj}{\boldsymbol{j}} \newcommand{\kk}{\boldsymbol{k}} \newcommand{\ir}{\boldsymbol{i}_r} \newcommand{\ith}{\boldsymbol{i}_{\theta}} \newcommand{\iz}{\boldsymbol{i}_z} \newcommand{\Ix}{\mathcal{I}_x} \newcommand{\Iy}{\mathcal{I}_y} \newcommand{\Iz}{\mathcal{I}_z} \newcommand{\It}{\mathcal{I}_t} \newcommand{\If}{\mathcal{I}_s} % for FEM \newcommand{\Ifd}{{I_d}} % for FEM \newcommand{\Ifb}{{I_b}} % for FEM \newcommand{\setb}[1]{#1^0} % set begin \newcommand{\sete}[1]{#1^{-1}} % set end \newcommand{\setl}[1]{#1^-} \newcommand{\setr}[1]{#1^+} \newcommand{\seti}[1]{#1^i} \newcommand{\sequencei}[1]{\left\{ {#1}_i \right\}_{i\in\If}} \newcommand{\basphi}{\varphi} \newcommand{\baspsi}{\psi} \newcommand{\refphi}{\tilde\basphi} \newcommand{\psib}{\boldsymbol{\psi}} \newcommand{\sinL}[1]{\sin\left((#1+1)\pi\frac{x}{L}\right)} \newcommand{\xno}[1]{x_{#1}} \newcommand{\Xno}[1]{X_{(#1)}} \newcommand{\yno}[1]{y_{#1}} \newcommand{\Yno}[1]{Y_{(#1)}} \newcommand{\xdno}[1]{\boldsymbol{x}_{#1}} \newcommand{\dX}{\, \mathrm{d}X} \newcommand{\dx}{\, \mathrm{d}x} \newcommand{\ds}{\, \mathrm{d}s} \newcommand{\Real}{\mathbb{R}} \newcommand{\Integerp}{\mathbb{N}} \newcommand{\Integer}{\mathbb{Z}} $$

Problem setting

Goal. We ask the question

Under what circumstances, i.e., values of the input data $ I $, $ a $, and $ \Delta t $ will the Forward Euler and Crank-Nicolson schemes result in undesired oscillatory solutions?

Techniques of investigation:

Numerical experiments

Mathematical analysis

Another question to be raised is

How does $ \Delta t $ impact the error in the numerical solution?