Graphs, spanning trees and divergence-free finite elements in domains of general topology

Abstract

We construct sets of basis functions of the space of divergence-free finite elements of Raviart–Thomas type in domains of general topology. Two different methods are presented: one using a suitable selection of the curls of Nédélec finite elements, the other based on an efficient algebraic procedure. The first approach looks to be more useful for numerical approximation, as the basis functions have a localized support.