Block steepest descent method based on nonoverlapping domain decomposition, I.

In the present paper we propose a new iterative method for the numerical solution of system of linear algebraic equations with symmetric positive definite and positive semidefinite matrices arising from the approximation of diffusion equations by the mixed hybrid finite element method on triangular and tetrahedral meshes. The method is based on a combination of the block steepest descent idea and nonoverlapping domain decomposition algorithm. We give the formulation of the method and a simple convergence estimate in the case of regular shaped quasiuniform meshes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]