A Posteriori Error Estimates for Finite Element Approximations of the Cahn-Hilliard Equation and the Hele-Shaw Flow

Abstract

This paper develops a posteriori error estimates of residual type for conforming and mixed finite element approximations of the fourth order Cahn-Hilliard equation $u_t+∆(ε∆u−ε^{-1}f(u))=0$. It is shown that the a posteriori error bounds depends on $ε^{-1}$ only in some low polynomial order, instead of exponential order. Using these a posteriori error estimates, we construct an adaptive algorithm for computing the solution of the Cahn-Hilliard equation and its sharp interface limit, the Hele-Shaw flow. Numerical experiments are presented to show the robustness and effectiveness of the new error estimators and the proposed adaptive algorithm.