On the coupling of mixed-FEM and BEM for an exterior Helmholtz problem in the plane (Q2501253)

To provide an approximation of a two-dimensional Helmholtz equation in an unbounded domain a numerical scheme is proposed that combines a mixed variational formulation for a bounded domain, containing a heterogeneous medium, and a nonlocal absorbing boundary condition based on boundary integral equations on the boundary. Symmetric coupling of mixed finite elements and boundary elements leads to a weak formulation of a model problem, which describes the scattering from infinitely long cylindrical obstacles. Using potential boundary integral operators rather than the acoustic boundary operators three auxiliary problems are formulated to prove the uniqueness of the coupled mixed variational formulation. The continuous problem is discretized using the Galerkin method applying Raviart-Thomas subspaces and spectral elements. Based on the mentioned analysis the uniqueness of the discrete problem is shown. The convergence of the method is proved. Optimal error estimates are deduced. The results are validated by numerical examples.