The proximal point algorithm in metric spaces (Q1955781)

The aim of this paper is to introduce the proximal point algorithm, which is a well-known tool for finding minima of a convex lower semicontinuous function in a Hilbert space, into metric spaces of nonpositive curvature and show weak convergence of this algorithm. The results of the paper can be of interest also in Hilbert spaces, as they show that the proximal point algorithm as well as the gradient flow semigroup are purely metric objects, in spite of their linear origins. In a similar spirit, the differential structure of Riemannian manifolds is not essential as well.