Error Analysis of a Space-Time Finite Element Method for Solving PDEs on Evolving Surfaces

In this paper we present an error analysis of an Eulerian finite element method for solving parabolic partial differential equations (PDEs) posed on evolving hypersurfaces in Rd, d = 2, 3. The method employs discontinuous piecewise linear in time–continuous piecewise linear in space finite elements and is based on a space-time weak formulation of a surface PDE problem. Trial and test surface finite element spaces consist of traces of standard volumetric elements on a space-time manifold resulting from the evolution of a surface. We prove first order convergence in space and time of the method in an energy norm and second order convergence in a weaker norm. Furthermore, we derive regularity results for solutions of parabolic PDEs on an evolving surface, which we need in a duality argument used in the proof of the second order convergence estimate.