Multigrid methods are among the most efficient iterative methods for the solution of linear systems which arise in many large scale scientific calculations. Every researcher working with the numerical solution of partial differential equations should at least be familiar with this powerful technique. This invaluable book presents results concerning the rates of convergence of multigrid iterations.

This volume aims to disseminate a number of new ideas that have emerged in the last few years in the field of numerical simulation, all bearing the common denominator of the "multiscale" or "multilevel" paradigm. This covers the presence of multiple relevant "scales" in a physical phenomenon; the detection and representation of "structures," localized in space or in frequency, in the solution of a mathematical model; the decomposition of a function into "details" that can be organized and accessed in decreasing order of importance; and the iterative solution of systems of linear algebraic equations using "multilevel" decompositions of finite dimensional spaces.