Quasi-optimal and robust a posteriori error estimates in $L^{\infty}(L^{2})$ for the approximation of Allen-Cahn equations past singularities

Abstract

Quasi-optimal a posteriori error estimates in $L^\infty (0,T;L^2(\Omega ))$ are derived for the finite element approximation of Allen-Cahn equations. The estimates depend on the inverse of a small parameter only in a low order polynomial and are valid past topological changes of the evolving interface. The error analysis employs an elliptic reconstruction of the approximate solution and applies to a large class of conforming, nonconforming, mixed, and discontinuous Galerkin methods. Numerical experiments illustrate the theoretical results.