AUTHOR=Appadu Appanah R. , Kelil Abey S. , Nyingong Ndifon Wikocho TITLE=Solving a fractional diffusion PDE using some standard and nonstandard finite difference methods with conformable and Caputo operators JOURNAL=Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2024 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/applied-mathematics-and-statistics/articles/10.3389/fams.2024.1358485 DOI=10.3389/fams.2024.1358485 ISSN=2297-4687 ABSTRACT=Fractional diffusion equations offer an effective means of describing transport phenomena exhibiting abnormal diffusion patterns, often eluding traditional diffusion models. In this paper, we construct four finite difference methods whereby the fractional derivative is approximated using either conformable or Caputo operators and then finite difference approximations are used. To study the stability of the proposed numerical schemes, we employ von Neumann stability analysis or establish conditions under which the schemes replicate/preserve the positivity of the continuous model. Furthermore, consistency analysis is done for all the four methods. Numerical results are presented with fractional parameter (α) set to 0.75, 0.90, 0.95, and 1.0. We also compute the rate of convergence in time for the four methods.