Fictitious domain methods for the numerical solution of two-dimensional scattering problems (Q1268306)

The authors consider the two-dimensional exterior Helmholtz equation \[ \begin{gathered} \triangle u+\omega^2u=0\;\text{in} \mathbb{R}^2\backslash\overline\Omega,\quad u=-v_I\;\text{on} \partial\Omega\\ \lim_{r\to\infty}\sqrt{r}\left(\frac{\partial u}{\partial r}-{\mathbf i}\omega u\right)=0, \end{gathered} \] which can be used to model the scattering of time-harmonic electromagnetic or acoustic waves by an obstacle denoted by \(\Omega\). Here, \(v_I({\mathbf x})=e^{i\mathbf{\omega}\cdot{\mathbf x}}\) is the time-harmonic incident plane wave the direction of propagation of which is given by the vector \({\mathbf \omega}\). This exterior boundary value problem is approximated by truncating the unbounded domain and by imposing a nonreflecting boundary condition on the artificial boundary. First-order, second-order, and exact nonreflecting boundary conditions are tested on rectangular and circular boundaries. The finite element discretizations of the corresponding approximate boundary value problems are performed using locally fitted meshes, and the discrete equations are solved with fictious domain methods. A special finite element method uses the macro-hybrid formulation based on domain decomposition to couple polar and cartesian coordinate systems. A special preconditioner based on fictitious domains is introduced for the arising algebraic saddle-point system such that the subspace of constraints becomes invariant with respect to the preconditioned iterative procedure. The performance of the new method is compared to the fictitious domain methods both with respect to accuracy and computational cost.