Vectorizable preconditioners for elliptic difference equations in three space dimensions (Q1124279)

The authors consider various preconditioners for elliptic problems with anisotropy mainly with regard to vectorization and 3D-problems. They start with incomplete factorization of block tridiagonal matrices and develop forms with fully parallel solution algorithm. They modify line factorization to obtain positive definite preconditioners. To estimate the condition number and access robustness they give a limit matrix analysis for various point and line methods. They generalize these methods to plane block factorization for 3D-problems. Finally they compare twelve different methods (versions) with the aid of 8 model problems \((\Omega =[0,1]^ 3).\) They find by their analysis and supported by the examples that line-block factorizations are to be preferred in general; among the vectorizable methods a line method where Euler expansion of the factors of the pivot blocks is used, is the most robust with respect to the problem parameters. Furthermore, this method turns out to approach the best of the recursive methods in efficiency in terms of operation counts; it has the added bonus of almost maximal vectorlength.