Virtual bubbles and Galerkin-least-squares type methods (Ga.L.S.)

Abstract The equivalence between stabilized finite element methods (or Galerkin-least-squares tyoe methods, Ga.l.s.) and the standard Galerkin method with bubble functions is established in an abstract framework. The results are applicable to various finite element spaces, including high order elements, and applications to the advective diffusive model and to the Stokes problem are presented, illustrating the potential of the abstract theory introduced here.