High-order AFEM for the Laplace-Beltrami operator: convergence rates (Q506611)

A new AFEM (adaptive finite element method) for the Laplace-Beltrami operator with arbitrary polynomial degree on parametric surfaces, which are globally \(W^1_\infty\) and piecewise in a suitable Besov class embedded in \(C^{1,\alpha}\) with \(\alpha \in (0,1]\), is presented. The idea is to have the surface sufficiently well resolved in \(W^1_\infty\) relative to the current resolution of the partial differential equation (PDE) in \(H ^1\). This gives rise to a conditional contraction property of the PDE module. A suitable approximation class is presented and its relation to Besov regularity of the surface, solution, and forcing is discussed. In addition, optimal convergence rates for AFEM are proved.