A Boundary Functional for the Least-Squares Finite- Element Solution of Neutron Transport Problems

Abstract

The least-squares finite-element framework for the neutron transport equation is based on the minimization of a least-squares functional applied to the properly scaled neutron transport equation. This approach is extended by incorporating the boundary conditions into the least-squares functional. The proof of the V-ellipticity and continuity of the new functional leads to bounds of the discretization error for different regimes. For a P1 approximation of the angular dependence the resulting system of partial differential equations for the moments is explicitly derived. In the diffusion limit this system is essentially a Poisson equation for the zeroth moment and has a divergence structure for the set of moments of order 1. One of the key features of the least-squares approach is that it produces a posteriori error bounds. The use of these bounds is demonstrated in numerical examples for a spatial discretization using trilinear finite elements on a uniform tessellation into cubes.