On a randomized small-block Lanczos method for large-scale null space computations

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Kressner, Daniel, Shao, Nian
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Kressner, Daniel
Shao, Nian
author_facet Kressner, Daniel
Shao, Nian
contents Computing the null space of a large sparse matrix $A$ is a challenging computational problem, especially if the nullity -- the dimension of the null space -- is not small. When applying a block Lanczos method to $A^\mathsf{T} A$ for this purpose, conventional wisdom suggests to use a block size $d$ that is not smaller than the nullity. In this work, we show how randomness can be utilized to allow for smaller $d$ without sacrificing convergence or reliability. Even $d = 1$, corresponding to the standard single-vector Lanczos method, becomes a safe choice. This is achieved by using a small random diagonal perturbation, which moves the zero eigenvalues of $A^\mathsf{T} A$ away from each other, and a random initial guess. We analyze the effect of the perturbation on the attainable quality of the null space and derive convergence results that establish robust convergence for $d=1$. As demonstrated by our numerical experiments, a smaller block size combined with restarting and partial reorthogonalization results in reduced memory requirements and computational effort. It also allows for the incremental computation of the null space, without requiring a priori knowledge of the nullity. Our algorithm is best suited for situations when the nullity of $A$ is moderate.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2407_04634
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle On a randomized small-block Lanczos method for large-scale null space computations
Kressner, Daniel
Shao, Nian
Numerical Analysis
65F15, 65F50, 68W20
Computing the null space of a large sparse matrix $A$ is a challenging computational problem, especially if the nullity -- the dimension of the null space -- is not small. When applying a block Lanczos method to $A^\mathsf{T} A$ for this purpose, conventional wisdom suggests to use a block size $d$ that is not smaller than the nullity. In this work, we show how randomness can be utilized to allow for smaller $d$ without sacrificing convergence or reliability. Even $d = 1$, corresponding to the standard single-vector Lanczos method, becomes a safe choice. This is achieved by using a small random diagonal perturbation, which moves the zero eigenvalues of $A^\mathsf{T} A$ away from each other, and a random initial guess. We analyze the effect of the perturbation on the attainable quality of the null space and derive convergence results that establish robust convergence for $d=1$. As demonstrated by our numerical experiments, a smaller block size combined with restarting and partial reorthogonalization results in reduced memory requirements and computational effort. It also allows for the incremental computation of the null space, without requiring a priori knowledge of the nullity. Our algorithm is best suited for situations when the nullity of $A$ is moderate.
title On a randomized small-block Lanczos method for large-scale null space computations
topic Numerical Analysis
65F15, 65F50, 68W20
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.04634