Schur complements on Hilbert spaces and saddle point systems (Q1006021)

The author considers the symmetric sadle point system on abstract Hilbert spaces and generalizes a finite dimensional result of \textit{X. Cheng} [SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 37, 1930--1934 (2000; Zbl 0960.65032)]. Based on Schur complements on Hilbert spaces , the paper provides new tools for investigating sadle point problems. It is proved that for any symmetric saddle point problem the inexact Uzawa algorithm converges, provided that the inexact process for inverting the residual at each step has the relative error smaller than 1/3. Using the convergence result for the inexact Uzawa algorithm at the continuous level, combined with standard techniques of discretization and a posteriori error estimates, the author proposes a new type of algorithm for solving saddle point systems. The advantage of the new algorithm is that the discrete stability condition of Ladyshenskaya-Babušca-Brezzi is not needed. In the end of the paper, in the Appendix, the author presents more of the classical theory for saddle point systems in the light of the spectral results of Schur complements .