Non-oscillatory and non-diffusive solution of convection problems by the iteratively reweighted least-squares finite element method (Q1208892)

The author first introduces the least-squares finite element method (LSFEM) for two-dimensional steady-state pure convection problems with smooth solutions and compares it with other finite element methods. He proves that the LSFEM has the same stability estimate as the original equation; i.e., the LSFEM has better control of the streamline derivative than the streamline upwinding Petrov-Galerkin method. Numerical convergence rates are given to show that the LSFEM is almost optimal. He uses this LSFEM as a framework to develop an iteratively reweighted least-squares finite element method (IRLS-FEM) to obtain non-oscillatory and non-diffusive solutions for problems with contact discontinuities. This new method produces an accurate numerical solution that has a sharp discontinuity in one element. Some examples solved by using triangular and bilinear elements are presented to show that the method can convect contact discontinuities without error.