A matrix-free convex limiting framework for continuous Galerkin methods with nonlinear stabilization

Abstract: We equip a high-order continuous Galerkin discretization of a general hyperbolic problem with a nonlinear stabilization term and introduce a new methodology for enforcing preservation of invariant domains. The amount of shock-capturing artificial viscosity is determined by a smoothness sensor that measures deviations from a weighted essentially nonoscillatory (WENO) reconstruction. Since this kind of dissipative stabilization does not guarantee that the nodal states of the finite element approximation stay in a convex admissible set, we adaptively constrain deviations of these states from intermediate cell averages. The representation of our scheme in terms of such cell averages makes it possible to apply convex limiting techniques originally designed for positivity-preserving discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods. Adapting these techniques to the continuous Galerkin setting and using Bernstein polynomials as local basis functions, we prove the invariant domain preservation property under a time step restriction that can be significantly weakened by using a flux limiter for the auxiliary cell averages. The close relationship to DG-WENO schemes is exploited and discussed. All algorithmic steps can be implemented in a matrix-free and hardware-aware manner. The effectiveness of the new element-based limiting strategy is illustrated by numerical examples.