Non-conforming spectral element-finite element approximations for partial differential equations (Q911729)

The goal of the spectral element methods is to combine the advantages of finite elements (complex geometries) and spectral techniques (high accuracy). In particular, such methods are well adapted for domain decomposition purposes which are of basic importance for parallel computation. In this paper, by using the ideas of non-conforming space approximations which are now classical in finite element methods, the authors introduce a new non-conforming spectral element-finite element approximation method which leads to greater flexibility in spectral element domain decomposition as well as direct spectral element-finite element coupling. Theoretical analysis is done for the Poisson equation. Then the introduction of error estimators allow to develop efficient adaptive spectral element procedures. Finally numerical examples are given: firstly standard conforming spectral element method applied to industrial external flow problems and then, non-conforming methods on simple model problems.