A Posteriori Error Bounds for Linear Elliptic Equations of Potential Type

Second-order Linear elliptic partial differential equations of potential type with Dirichlet (type 1) or Neumann (type II)boundary conditions on a simply-connected two-dimensional domainare considered. Conjugate problems, that is, a pair of one type1 and one type II problem, are introduced along with an auxiliaryeppiptic system of two equations in such a way that the energiesof the given problem, its conjugate problem, and the auxiliarysystem add to a known constant. There result two-sided boundsfor the energy of the given problem and, as a consequence, aposteriori error bounds for the norm of the difference of anapproximate solution and the exact solution of the problem.A method by which the amount of computation required to obtainthe a posteriori error bounds can be almost halved in many casesof practical interest is given. A posteriori error bounds forapproximate solutions of the auxiliary system are also given.