Finite element hybridization of port-Hamiltonian systems

In this contribution, we extend the hybridization framework for the Hodge Laplacian [Awanou et al., Hybridization and postprocessing in finite element exterior calculus, 2023] to port-Hamiltonian systems describing linear wave propagation phenomena. To this aim, a dual field mixed Galerkin discretization is introduced, in which one variable is approximated via conforming finite element spaces, whereas the second is completely local. This scheme is equivalent to the second order mixed Galerkin formulation and retains a discrete power balance and discrete conservation laws. The mixed formulation is also equivalent to the hybrid formulation. The discretization can be reinterpreted as a power preserving interconnection of port-Hamiltonian systems, thus providing a system theoretic interpretation of finite element assembly. The hybrid system can be efficiently solved using a static condensation procedure in discrete time. The size reduction achieved thanks to the hybridization is greater than the one obtained for the Hodge Laplacian as one field is completely discarded. Numerical experiments on the 3D wave and Maxwell equations show the convergence of the method and the size reduction achieved by the hybridization.