The conforming virtual element method for polyharmonic problems

In this work, we exploit the capability of virtual element methods in accommodating approximation spaces featuring high-order continuity to numerically approximate differential problems of the form (-?)^pu = f , p >= 1. More specifically, we develop and analyze the conforming virtual element method for the numerical approximation of polyharmonic boundary value problems, and prove an abstract result that states the convergence of the method in suitable norms.