Saddle point least squares discretization for convection-diffusion

Abstract

We consider a model convection-diffusion problem and present our recent analysis and numerical results regarding mixed finite element formulation and discretization in the singular perturbed case when the convection term dominates the problem. Using the concepts of optimal norm and saddle point reformulation, we found new error estimates for the case of uniform meshes. We compare the standard linear Galerkin discretization to a saddle point least square discretization that uses quadratic test functions, and explain the non-physical oscillations of the discrete solutions. We also relate a known upwinding Petrov–Galerkin method and the stream-line diffusion discretization method, by emphasizing the resulting linear systems and by comparing appropriate error norms. The results can be extended to the multidimensional case in order to find efficient approximations for more general singular perturbed problems including convection dominated models.

Keywords:

• Least squares
• saddle point systems
• up-winding Petrov Galerkin
• optimal stability norm
• convection dominated problem

2000 Mathematics Subject Classifications:

• 74S05
• 74B05
• 65N22
• 65N55

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the NSF-DMS [grant number 2011615].