An analysis of finite volume, finite element, and finite difference methods using some concepts from algebraic topology (Q1360425)

The point of this paper is that it is worthwhile to think about finite element and finite volume methods in terms of the algebraic topology of the division of the domain into cells. The primary advantages are that vector and tensor quantities are handled consistently and that conservation laws are automatically satisfied. Furthermore, the decisions to be made by the user are reduced to the choice of the basis functions and the representation of the constitutive relations. Discretization of the heat equation is worked out as an example.