New error analysis and recovery technique of a class of fully discrete finite element methods for the dynamical inductionless MHD equations

Abstract

In this paper, we present a new error analysis of a class of fully discrete finite element methods for the dynamical inductionless magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The methods use the semi-implicit backward Euler scheme in time and use the standard inf–sup stable Mini/Taylor–Hood pairs to discretize the velocity and pressure, and the Raviart–Thomas for solving the current density in space. Due to the strong coupling of the system and the pollution of the lower-order Raviart–Thomas face approximation in analysis, the existing analysis is not optimal. In terms of a mixed Poisson projection and the corresponding estimates in negative norms, we establish new and optimal error estimates for all variables. In particular, we prove that the method with the lowest-order Raviart–Thomas face element and Mini element provides the optimal accuracy for the velocity in L∞(0,T;L2(Ω))-norm, and the method with the lowest-order Raviart–Thomas face element and P2−P1 Taylor–Hood element supplies the optimal accuracy for the velocity in L2(0,T;H1(Ω))-norm and the pressure in L1(0,T;L2(Ω))-norm. Moreover, we propose a simple recovery technique to obtain a new numerical current density of first-order higher accuracy in the spatial direction by re-solving a mixed Poisson equation. Numerical experiments are performed to verify the theoretical analysis.