Rate-optimal goal-oriented adaptive FEM for semilinear elliptic PDEs

Abstract

We formulate and analyze a goal-oriented adaptive finite element method for a semilinear elliptic PDE and a linear goal functional. The discretization is based on finite elements of arbitrary (but fixed) polynomial degree and involves a linearized dual problem. The linearization is part of the proposed algorithm, which employs a marking strategy different to that of standard adaptive finite element methods. Moreover, unlike the well-known dual-weighted residual strategy, the analyzed error estimators are completely computable. We prove linear convergence and, for the first time in the context of goal-oriented adaptivity for nonlinear PDEs, optimal algebraic convergence rates. In particular, the analysis does not require a sufficiently fine initial mesh.