Wavenumber-explicit stability and convergence analysis of \(hp\) finite element discretizations of Helmholtz problems in piecewise smooth media (Q6622385)

In this work, a regularity splitting of solutions of wave propagation problems in piecewise smooth media is developed and a duality argument (``Schatz argument'') is applied to Galerkin discretizations. This covers several classes of scalar Helmholtz problems in heterogeneous media with different types of boundary conditions, providing quasi-optimality. The analysis is verified for several classes of relevant scalar Helmholtz problems, namely, the heterogeneous Helmholtz equation with the classical impedance boundary conditions and perfectly matched layers on a circular/spherical domain; exact boundary conditions expressed in terms of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator; second order absorbing boundary conditions