Compact finite difference schemes with spectral-like resolution

The present finite-difference schemes for the evaluation of first-order, second-order, and higher-order derivatives yield improved representation of a range of scales and may be used on nonuniform meshes. Various boundary conditions may be invoked, and both accurate interpolation and spectral-like filtering can be accomplished by means of schemes for derivatives at mid-cell locations. This family of schemes reduces to the Pade schemes when the maximal formal accuracy constraint is imposed with a specific computational stencil. Attention is given to illustrative applications of these schemes in fluid dynamics.