Sparse spectral and p-finite element methods for partial differential equations on disk slices and trapeziums

Abstract: Sparse spectral methods for solving partial differential equations have been derived in recent years using hierarchies of classical orthogonal polynomials on intervals, disks, and triangles. In this work we extend this methodology to a hierarchy of non-classical orthogonal polynomials on disk slices (e.g. a half-disk) and trapeziums. This builds on the observation that sparsity is guaranteed due to the boundary being defined by an algebraic curve, and that the entries of partial differential operators can be determined using formulae in terms of (non-classical) univariate orthogonal polynomials. We apply the framework to solving the Poisson, variable coefficient Helmholtz, and Biharmonic equations.