A finite element method for a boundary value problem of mixed type (Q1063411)

We consider the numerical solution of the boundary value problem \((1)\quad Lu=k(y)u_{xx}+u_{yy}-c(x,y)u=f,\quad u|_{\Gamma_ 0\cup \Gamma_ 1}=0,\) where k(y)\(\gtreqless 0\) for \(y\gtreqless 0\) and \(\Gamma_ 0\) and \(\Gamma_ 1\) are parts of the boundary of a bounded simply connected region G in \(R^ 2\). G is bounded for \(y>0\) by a piecewise smooth curve \(\Gamma_ 0\) which intersects the line \(y=0\) at the points \(A(-1,0)\) and B(0,0). For \(y<0\), G is bounded by a piecewise smooth curve \(\Gamma_ 1\) through A, which meets the characteristic of (1) issued from B at point C, and by the curve \(\Gamma_ 2\) which consists of the portion CB of the characteristic through B. Using a weak formulation based on different spaces of test and trial functions, we construct a Galerkin procedure for the above boundary value problem. Existence, uniqueness and uniform stability of an approximate solution is proven and a priori error bounds are given.