Finite elements for metrics and curvature
Abstract
In space dimension 2 we present a finite element complex for the deformation operator acting on vectorfields and the linearized curvature operator acting on symmetric 2 by 2 matrices. We also present the tools that were used in the construction, namely the BGG diagram chase and the framework of finite element systems. For this general framework we can prove a de Rham theorem on cohomology groups in the flat case and a Bianchi identity in the case with curvature.