A remark concerning divergence accuracy order for H(div)-conforming finite element flux approximations

Abstract: The construction of finite element approximations in $\mathbf{H}(\mbox{div}, {\Omega})$ usually requires the Piola transformation to map vector polynomials from a master element to vector fields in the elements of a partition of the region {\Omega}. It is known that degradation may occur in convergence order if non affine geometric mappings are used. On this point, we revisit a general procedure for the improvement of two-dimensional flux approximations discussed in a paper of this journal (Comput. Math. Appl. 74 (2017) 3283-3295). The starting point is an approximation scheme, which is known to provide $L^2$-errors with accuracy of order $k+1$ for sufficiently smooth flux functions, and of order $r+1$ for flux divergence. An example is $RT_{k}$ spaces on quadrilateral meshes, where $r = k$ or $k-1$ if linear or bilinear geometric isomorphisms are applied. Furthermore, the original space is required to be expressed by a factorization in terms of edge and internal shape flux functions. The goal is to define a hierarchy of enriched flux approximations to reach arbitrary higher orders of divergence accuracy $r+n+1$ as desired, for any $n \geq 1$. The enriched versions are defined by adding higher degree internal shape functions of the original family of spaces at level $k+n$, while keeping the original border fluxes at level $k$. The case $n=1$ has been discussed in the mentioned publication for two particular examples. General stronger enrichment $n>1$ shall be analyzed and applied to Darcy's flow simulations, the global condensed systems to be solved having same dimension and structure of the original scheme.