Convergence of Dziuk's semidiscrete finite element method for mean curvature flow of closed surfaces with high-order finite elements

Abstract: Dziuk's surface finite element method for mean curvature flow has had significant impact on the development of parametric and evolving surface finite element methods for surface evolution equations and curvature flows. However, Dziuk's surface finite element method for mean curvature flow of closed surfaces remains still open since it was proposed in 1990. In this article, we prove convergence of Dziuk's semidiscrete surface finite element method with high-order finite elements for mean curvature flow of closed surfaces by utilizing the matrix-vector formulation of evolving surface finite element methods and a monotone structure of the nonlinear discrete surface Laplacian proved in this paper.