Samir Karaa

Samir Karaa, Kassem Mustapha, Amiya K. Pani

In this article, the piecewise-linear finite element method (FEM) is applied to approximate the solution of time-fractional diffusion equations on bounded convex domains. Standard energy arguments do not provide satisfactory results for such a problem due to the low regularity of its exact solution. Using a delicate energy analysis, {\it a priori} optimal error bounds in $L^2(Ω)$-, $H^1(Ω)$-norms, and a quasi-optimal bound in $L^{\infty}(Ω)$-norm are derived for the semidiscrete FEM for cases with smooth and nonsmooth initial data. The main tool of our analysis is based on a repeated use of an integral operator and use of a $t^m$ type of weights to take care of the singular behavior of the continuous solution at $t=0.$ The generalized Leibniz formula for fractional derivatives is found to play a key role in our analysis. Numerical experiments are presented to illustrate some of the theoretical results.

Samir Karaa

In this paper, we consider the numerical approximation of time-fractional parabolic problems involving Caputo derivatives in time of order $α$, $0< α<1$. We derive optimal error estimates for semidiscrete Galerkin FE type approximations for problems with smooth and nonsmooth initial data. Our analysis relies on energy arguments and exploits the properties of the inverse of the associated elliptic operator. We present the analysis in a general setting so that it is easily applicable to various spatial approximations such as conforming and nonconforming FEMs, and FEM on nonconvex domains. The finite element approximation in mixed form is also presented and new error estimates are established for smooth and nonsmooth initial data. Finally, an extension of our analysis to a multi-term time-fractional model is discussed.

Mariam Al-Maskari, Samir Karaa

We consider the numerical approximation of a generalized fractional Oldroyd-B fluid problem involving two Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives in time. We establish regularity results for the exact solution which play an important role in the error analysis. A semidiscrete scheme based on the piecewise linear Galerkin finite element method in space is analyzed and optimal with respect to the data regularity error estimates are established. Further, two fully discrete schemes based on convolution quadrature in time generated by the backward Euler and the second-order backward difference methods are investigated and related error estimates for smooth and nonsmooth data are derived. Numerical experiments are performed with different values of the problem parameters to illustrate the efficiency of the method and confirm the theoretical results.

Samir Karaa, Amiya K. Pani

In this paper, a finite volume element (FVE) method is considered for spatial approximations of time-fractional diffusion equations involving a Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative of order $α\in (0,1)$ in time. Improving upon earlier results (Karaa {\it et al.}, IMA J. Numer. Anal. 2016), optimal error estimates in $L^2(Ω)$- and $H^1(Ω)$-norms for the semidiscrete problem with smooth and middly smooth initial data, i.e., $v\in H^2(Ω)\cap H^1_0(Ω)$ and $v\in H^1_0(Ω)$ are established. For nonsmooth data, that is, $v\in L^2(Ω)$, the optimal $L^2(Ω)$-error estimate is shown to hold only under an additional assumption on the triangulation, which is known to be satisfied for symmetric triangulations. Superconvergence result is also proved and as a consequence, a quasi-optimal error estimate is established in the $L^\infty(Ω)$-norm. Further, two fully discrete schemes using convolution quadrature in time generated by the backward Euler and the second-order backward difference methods are analyzed, and error estimates are derived for both smooth and nonsmooth initial data. Based on a comparison of the standard Galerkin finite element solution with the FVE solution and exploiting tools for Laplace transforms with semigroup type properties of the FVE solution operator, our analysis is then extended in a unified manner to several time-fractional order evolution problems. Finally, several numerical experiments are conducted to confirm our theoretical findings.

Samir Karaa, Amiya K. Pani

In this article, a posteriori error analysis is developed for mixed finite element Galerkin approximations to a second order linear hyperbolic equation. Based on mixed elliptic reconstructions and an integration tool, which is a variation of Baker's technique introduced earlier by G. Baker ( SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 13 (1976), 564-576) in the context of a priori estimates for a second order wave equation, a posteriori error estimates of the displacement in L{\infty}(L2)-norm for the semidiscrete scheme are derived under minimal regularity. Finally, a first order implicit-in-time discrete scheme is analyzed and a posteriori error estimators are established.

Abhinav Jha, Samir Karaa, Aditi Tomar

We investigate a mixed finite element method for the spatial discretization of a time-fractional Allen--Cahn equation defined on a convex polyhedral domain, combined with a nonuniform Alikhanov scheme for the temporal approximation. Under suitable regularity assumptions on the initial data that are weaker than those typically imposed in the literature, we establish regularity results for the solution and its flux. We then derive optimal $L^2$-error estimates, up to a logarithmic factor, for both the solution and the flux. The estimates are robust with respect to the fractional order $α$, in the sense that the associated constants remain bounded as $α\to 1^{-}$. Numerical experiments are presented to confirm the theoretical findings.

Samir Karaa, Kassem Mustapha, Amiya K. Pani

In this paper, a semi-discrete spatial finite volume (FV) method is proposed and analyzed for approximating solutions of anomalous subdiffusion equations involving a temporal fractional derivative of order $α\in (0,1)$ in a two-dimensional convex polygonal domain. Optimal error estimates in $L^\infty(L^2)$- norm is shown to hold. Superconvergence result is proved and as a consequence, it is established that quasi-optimal order of convergence in $L^{\infty}(L^{\infty})$ holds. We also consider a fully discrete scheme that employs FV method in space, and a piecewise linear discontinuous Galerkin method to discretize in temporal direction. It is, further, shown that convergence rate is of order $O(h^2+k^{1+α}),$ where $h$ denotes the space discretizing parameter and $k$ represents the temporal discretizing parameter. Numerical experiments indicate optimal convergence rates in both time and space, and also illustrate that the imposed regularity assumptions are pessimistic.

Samir Karaa

A family of implicit-in-time mixed finite element schemes is presented for the numerical approximation of the acoustic wave equation. The mixed space discretization is based on the displacement form of the wave equation and the time-stepping method employs a three-level one-parameter scheme. A rigorous stability analysis is presented based on energy estimation and sharp stability results are obtained. A convergence analysis is carried out and optimal a priori $L^\infty(L^2)$ error estimates for both displacement and pressure are derived.