An \(h\)-\(p\) Petrov-Galerkin finite element method for linear Volterra integro-differential equations (Q487493)

The authors derive an \(h\)-\(p\) finite element method for the linear Volterra integro-differential equation \(u'(t) = p(t) u(t) + q(t) + \int_0^t K(t,s) u(s) ds\) subject to the initial condition \(u(0) = u_0\). The given functions \(p\), \(q\) and \(K\) are assumed to be continuous. The finite element method is of Petrov-Galerkin type, thus allowing the space of test functions to differ from the space of trial functions. Specifically, both functions are of piecewise polynomial type but whereas the approach requires the trial functions (and hence the approximate solutions) to be globally continuous, the test functions may have jump discontinuities. The authors provide sufficient conditions for the numerical solutions to uniquely exist and provide error bounds in the \(L^2\) norm and in the \(H^1\) seminorm.