Boundary element collocation methods using splines with multiple knots (Q2564483)

The paper presents a stability and error analysis of collocation methods for boundary integral equations over a smooth closed curve in the practically important case where the trial functions are splines with multiple knots. The results generalize those obtained by Arnold, Wendland, Saranen and Schmidt for splines with simple knots (i.e., smoothest splines). The convergence analysis is based on a recurrence relation for the Fourier coefficients of the numerical solution, and so is restricted to uniform grids. A criterion for superconvergence in lower-order (periodic) Sobolev norms is also given. The case of double knots is treated in some detail, and numerical experiments for a standard model problem (Symm's equation) confirm the convergence rates predicted by theory.