HDG methods in finite element exterior calculus

Abstract: We develop and analyze HDG methods for two central problems in finite element exterior calculus, the Hodge-Dirac problem and the Hodge-Laplace problem, in arbitrary dimension $n$. Our analysis allows for equal-order polynomial spaces with $\mathcal{O}(1)$ penalty parameters, by contrast with previous work on the Hodge-Laplace problem requiring an underlying conforming complex and $\mathcal{O}(h)$ or $\mathcal{O}(h<sup>{-1})$ penalties. For the Hodge-Dirac problem with degree-$r$ polynomials, our error estimates give optimal order-$(r+1)$ convergence in all form degrees under suitable regularity hypotheses. For the Hodge-Laplace problem, we prove optimal order-$(r+1)$ convergence for the $k$-form solution and order-$(r+\frac{1}{2})$ convergence for the $(k \pm 1)$-form auxiliary variables. We obtain improved order-$(r+1)$ auxiliary-variable estimates when $k=1$ and/or $k=n-1$, which in particular sharpens some recent HDG error estimates for the two-dimensional vector Poisson equation. Our analysis also encompasses cases of lower regularity, including solutions with reentrant-corner singularities on non-convex domains, and requires only mild mesh regularity conditions. The results are illustrated by numerical experiments in dimensions two and three.