A stable local commuting projector and optimal $hp$ approximation estimates in ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{curl})$

TL;DR

This paper introduces a stable, local projector operator for the ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{curl})$ space that achieves optimal approximation properties and satisfies important commuting properties, enhancing numerical analysis techniques.

Contribution

It presents a novel local commuting projector operator for ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{curl})$ with stability, optimal approximation, and boundary condition handling, applicable in finite element analysis.

Findings

Proves equivalence of various approximation methods in ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{curl})$

Establishes $hp$-optimal approximation bounds under minimal regularity

Demonstrates $p$-robust equivalence of curl-constrained and unconstrained approximations

Abstract

We design an operator from the infinite-dimensional Sobolev space ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{curl})$ to its finite-dimensional subspace formed by the N\'ed\'elec piecewise polynomials on a tetrahedral mesh that has the following properties: 1) it is defined over the entire ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{curl})$, including boundary conditions imposed on a part of the boundary; 2) it is defined locally in a neighborhood of each mesh element; 3) it is based on simple piecewise polynomial projections; 4) it is stable in the ${\boldsymbol L}^2$-norm, up to data oscillation; 5) it has optimal (local-best) approximation properties; 6) it satisfies the commuting property with its sibling operator on ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{div})$; 7) it is a projector, i.e., it leaves intact objects that are already in the N\'ed\'elec piecewise polynomial space. This operator can be used in various parts of numerical analysis related to the ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{curl})$ space. We in particular employ it here to establish the two following results: i) equivalence of global-best, tangential-trace-and curl-constrained, and local-best, unconstrained approximations in ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{curl})$ including data oscillation terms; and ii) fully $h$- and $p$- (mesh-size- and polynomial-degree-) optimal approximation bounds valid under the minimal Sobolev regularity only requested elementwise. As a result of independent interest, we also prove a $p$-robust equivalence of curl-constrained and unconstrained best-approximations on a single tetrahedron in the ${\boldsymbol H}(\mathrm{curl})$-setting, including $hp$ data oscillation terms.