Two mixed finite element methods for time-fractional diffusion equations (Q514462)

The authors construct two fully-discrete approximation schemes for time-fractional diffusion equations [\textit{Y. Jiang} and \textit{J. Ma}, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 235, No. 11, 3285--3290 (2011; Zbl 1216.65130)]; [\textit{Y. Liu} et al., J. Appl. Math. Comput. 47, No. 1--2, 103--117 (2015; Zbl 1319.65097)], using mixed finite element methods (MFEMs) based on bilinear conforming elements and \(EQ_1^{\mathrm{rot}}\) nonconforming finite elements, respectively. Superclose and superconvergence analysis of the fully discrete-approximation scheme with conforming MFEMs, and ``true'' optimal convergence results of the fully-discrete approximation scheme with nonconforming MEMs are presented. Here ``true'' is used in the sense that mesh sizes of time direction and spatial direction are independent of each other in the convergence results. An interpolation operator is employed to estimate the error between the exact solution and the numerical solution. Comparing traditional MFEMs with the MFEMs proposed in the paper it is observed that it can easily satisfy the Babuska-Bezzi condition and avoid some trouble from divergence operator.