Improved error estimates for the finite volume and the MAC schemes for the compressible Navier–Stokes system

Abstract

We present new error estimates for the finite volume and finite difference methods applied to the compressible Navier–Stokes equations. The main innovative ingredients of the improved error estimates are a refined consistency analysis combined with a continuous version of the relative energy inequality. Consequently, we obtain better convergence rates than those available in the literature so far. Moreover, the error estimates hold in the whole physically relevant range of the adiabatic coefficient.