Boundary value problems on weighted networks Original Research Article

We present here a systematic study of general boundary value problems on weighted networks that includes the variational formulation of such problems. In particular, we obtain the discrete version of the Dirichlet Principle and we apply it to the analysis of the inverse problem of identifying the conductivities of the network in a very general framework. Our approach is based on the development of an efficient vector calculus on weighted networks which mimetizes the calculus in the smooth case. The key tool is an adequate construction of the tangent space at each vertex. This allows us to consider discrete vector fields, inner products and general metrics. Then, we obtain discrete versions of derivative, gradient, divergence and Laplace–Beltrami operators, satisfying analogous properties to those verified by their continuous counterparts. On the other hand we develop the corresponding integral calculus that includes the discrete versions of the Integration by Parts technique and Green’s Identities. Finally, we apply our discrete vector calculus to analyze the consistency of difference schemes used to solve numerically a Robin boundary value problem in a square.