On the property of the curl-curl matrix in finite element analysis with edge elements

Abstract

This paper discusses properties of the curl-curl matrix in the finite element formulation with edge elements. Moreover, the observed deceleration in convergence of the CG and ICCG methods applied to magnetostatic problems through the tree-cotree gauging is explained on the basis of the eigenvalue separation property. From the eigenvalue separation property it follows that neither minimum nonzero eigenvalue of the curl-curl matrix nor maximum one increase through the tree-cotree gauging. Hence it is concluded that the condition number of the curl-curl matrix tends to grow by its definition. Moreover, the maximum eigenvalue tends to keep constant whereas the minimum nonzero eigenvalue reduces. This property also makes the condition number worse.