Exact smooth piecewise polynomial sequences on Alfeld splits

Abstract

We develop exact piecewise polynomial sequences on Alfeld splits in any spatial dimension and any polynomial degree. An Alfeld split of a simplex is obtained by connecting the vertices of an $n$-simplex with its barycenter. We show that, on these triangulations, the kernel of the exterior derivative has enhanced smoothness. Byproducts of this theory include characterizations of discrete divergence-free subspaces for the Stokes problem, commutative projections, and simple formulas for the dimensions of smooth polynomial spaces.