Finite element approximations for fractional evolution problems

Abstract: This work introduces and analyzes a finite element scheme for evolution problems involving fractional-in-time and in-space differentiation operators up to order two. The left-sided fractional-order derivative in time we consider is employed to represent memory effects, while a nonlocal differentiation operator in space accounts for long-range dispersion processes. We discuss well-posedness and obtain regularity estimates for the evolution problems under consideration. The discrete scheme we develop is based on piecewise linear elements for the space variable and a convolution quadrature for the time component. We illustrate the method's performance with numerical experiments in one- and two-dimensional domains.