Mathematical Analysis on a Conforming Finite Element Scheme for Advection-Dispersion-Decay Equations on Connected Graphs

Abstract

Theoretical stability and error analysis on a Conforming Petrov-Galerkin Finite Element (CPGFE) scheme with the fitting technique for solving the Advection-Dispersion-Decay Equations (ADDEs) on connected graphs is performed. This paper is the first research paper that applies the concept of the discrete Green's function (DGF) to error analysis on a numerical scheme for the ADDEs on connected graphs. Firstly, the stability analysis shows that the scheme is unconditionally stable in space for steady problems and is stable in both space and time for unsteady problems if the temporal term is appropriately discretized with a lumping technique. Secondly, basic properties of the DGF on connected graphs, which provide key mathematical tools in the error analysis, are presented. The error analysis with the DGF reveals a direct relationship between the regularity conditions on the known functions and accuracy of the scheme, explicitly indicating that the accuracy of the scheme is strongly influenced by the accuracy of the discretized known functions. The error analysis also shows that the scheme is uniformly-convergent in the L∞-error norm with respect to the diffusivity, which cannot be achieved in the conventional numerical schemes. This unique and remarkable property is a significant advantage of the present CPGFE scheme over the conventional ones.