Finite element spaces of double forms

Abstract

The tensor product of two differential forms of degree $p$ and $q$ is a multilinear form that is alternating in its first $p$ arguments and alternating in its last $q$ arguments. These forms, which are known as double forms or $(p,q)$-forms, play a central role in certain differential complexes that arise when studying partial differential equations. We construct piecewise polynomial finite element spaces for all of the natural subspaces of the space of $(p,q)$-forms, excluding one subspace which fails to admit a piecewise constant discretization. As special cases, our construction recovers known finite element spaces for symmetric matrices with tangential-tangential continuity (the Regge finite elements), symmetric matrices with normal-normal continuity, and trace-free matrices with normal-tangential continuity. It also gives rise to new spaces, like a finite element space for tensors possessing the symmetries of the Riemann curvature tensor.