Analysis of incomplete factorizations for a nine-point approximation to a convection–diffusion model problem

We study the stability of zero-fill incomplete LU factorizations of a nine-point coefficient matrix arising from a high-order compact discretisation of a two-dimensional constant-coefficient convection–diffusion problem. Nonlinear recurrences for computing entries of the lower and upper triangular matrices are derived and we show that the sequence of diagonal entries of the lower triangular factor is unconditionally convergent. A theoretical estimate of the limiting value is derived and we show that this estimate is a good predictor of the computed value. The unconditional convergence of the diagonal sequence of the lower triangular factor to a positive limit implies that the incomplete factorization process never encounters a zero pivot and that the other diagonal sequences are also convergent. The characteristic polynomials associated with the lower and upper triangular solves that occur during the preconditioning step are studied and conditions for the stability of the triangular solves are derived in terms of the entries of the tridiagonal matrices appearing in the lower and upper subdiagonals of the block triangular system matrix and a triplet of parameters which completely determines the solution of the nonlinear recursions. Results of ILU-preconditioned GMRES iterations and the effects of orderings on their convergence are also described.