Finite element approximation of a nonlinear cross-diffusion population model (Q1882391)

The coupled system of two nonlinear, multidimensional parabolic equations that describe a cross-diffusion population model is solved numerically. Whereas the diffusion term is essentially the Laplacian of a quadratic function of the solution, the reaction term is of Lotka-Volterra type. The numerical solution is based upon a regularized problem. The discretization in time is a semi-implicit Euler method. For the spatial approximation, linear finite elements are employed. The given proof of existence of a discrete solution is based upon Brouwer's fixed point theorem and the use of an entropy function. The authors also prove (for space dimensions \(\leq 3\)) convergence of a subsequence of the numerical solution, which is a piecewise linear interpolant of the time-discrete solution, towards a weak solution of the original problem. Finally, five different numerical examples are considered in both cases: with and without a reaction term.