$L^{\infty }$-error estimate for the finite element method on two dimensional surfaces

Abstract

We approximate the solution of the equation $$-{\Delta }_{S}u+u=f$$ on a two-dimensional, embedded, orientable, closed surface $S$ where $-{\Delta }_S$ denotes the Laplace Beltrami operator on $S$ by using continuous, piecewise linear finite elements on a triangulation of $S$ with flat triangles. We show that the $L^{\infty }$-error is of order $O(h^2|\log h|)$ as in the corresponding situation in an Euclidean setting.

Remark 1.1 added