Age-structured population models and their numerical solution

This paper considers the state of the art of the numerical solution of age-structured population models. The different numerical approaches to this kind of problems and the stability and convergence results for them are reviewed. Both characteristic curves methods and finite difference methods are compared with regards to accuracy, efficiency and their qualitative behaviour depending on the compatibility conditions between initial and boundary data of the problems. The paper is the first of a series of two considering the numerical solution of general structured population models.