High-accuracy approximations for eigenvalue problems by the Carey non-conforming finite element (Q4240748)

This paper is concerned with a nonconforming finite element approach to eigensolutions of \(-\Delta u=\lambda u\) in \(\Omega\), \(u= 0\) on \(\partial\Omega\). Here, \(\Delta\) denotes the Laplacian and \(\Omega\) a convex polygonal domain. Given a quasi-uniform triangular partition of \(\Omega\), the Carey element under consideration is a special quadratic element where continuity is required at the vertices of each element only. In combination with a so-called interpolation postprocessing technique, high-accuracy error estimates are obtained, namely \[ \|\Pi^2_{2h} u_h- u\|_1\leq Ch^2\| u\|_3,\quad 0<\widehat\lambda_h- \lambda\leq Ch^4\| u\|^2_3. \] Here, \(\Pi^2_{2h}\) is an interpolation operator, \((\lambda, u)\) and \((\lambda_h, u_h)\) are eigenpairs for the exact solution and its Carey element approximation, respectively, and \(\widehat\lambda_h\) is defined by the Rayleigh ratio of \(\Pi^2_{2h} u_h\).