Fourth-order algorithms for solving the imaginary-time Gross-Pitaevskii equation in a rotating anisotropic trap.

By implementing the exact density matrix for the rotating anisotropic harmonic trap, we derive a class of very fast and accurate fourth-order algorithms for evolving the Gross-Pitaevskii equation in imaginary time. Such fourth-order algorithms are possible only with the use of forward, positive time step factorization schemes. These fourth-order algorithms converge at time-step sizes an order-of-magnitude larger than conventional second-order algorithms. Our use of time-dependent factorization schemes provides a systematic way of devising algorithms for solving this type of nonlinear equations.