Subspace methods for three‐parameter eigenvalue problems

We propose subspace methods for three‐parameter eigenvalue problems. Such problems arise when separation of variables is applied to separable boundary value problems; a particular example is the Helmholtz equation in ellipsoidal and paraboloidal coordinates. While several subspace methods for two‐parameter eigenvalue problems exist, their extensions to a three‐parameter setting seem challenging. An inherent difficulty is that, while for two‐parameter eigenvalue problems, we can exploit a relation to Sylvester equations to obtain a fast Arnoldi‐type method, such a relation does not seem to exist when there are three or more parameters. Instead, we introduce a subspace iteration method with projections onto generalized Krylov subspaces that are constructed from scratch at every iteration using certain Ritz vectors as the initial vectors. Another possibility is a Jacobi–Davidson‐type method for three or more parameters, which we generalize from its two‐parameter counterpart. For both approaches, we introduce a selection criterion for deflation that is based on the angles between left and right eigenvectors. The Jacobi–Davidson approach is devised to locate eigenvalues close to a prescribed target; yet, it often also performs well when eigenvalues are sought based on the proximity of one of the components to a prescribed target. The subspace iteration method is devised specifically for the latter task. The proposed approaches are suitable especially for problems where the computation of several eigenvalues is required with high accuracy. MATLAB implementations of both methods have been made available in the package MultiParEig (see http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/47844-multipareig ).     

On linearizations of the quadratic two-parameter eigenvalue problem

We present several transformations that can be used to solve the quadratic two-parameter eigenvalue problem (QMEP), by formulating an associated linear multiparameter eigenvalue problem. Two of these transformations are generalizations of the well-known linearization of the quadratic eigenvalue problem and linearize the QMEP as a singular two-parameter eigenvalue problem. The third replaces all nonlinear terms by new variables and adds new equations for their relations. The QMEP is thus transformed into a nonsingular five-parameter eigenvalue problem. The advantage of these transformations is that they enable one to solve the QMEP using existing numerical methods for multiparameter eigenvalue problems. We also consider several special cases of the QMEP, where some matrix coefficients are zero     

A continuation method for a weakly elliptic two-parameter eigenvalue problem

We show that the continuation method can be used to solve aweakly elliptic two-parameter eigenvalue problem. We generalizethe continuation method for a nonsymmetric eigenvalue problemAx = x by T. Y. Li, Z. Zeng and L. Cong (1992 SIAM J. Numer.Anal. 29, 229–248) to two-parameter problems.     

Thermo-mechanical laser ablation of soft biological tissue: modeling the micro-explosions

Characteristics of thermo-mechanical laser ablation process are investigated using an original numerical model. In contrast with previous models, it is based on a microscopic physical model of the micro-explosion process, which combines thermodynamic behavior of tissue water with elastic response of the solid tissue components. Diffusion of dissipated heat is treated in one dimension, and the amount of thermal damage is assessed using the Arrhenius model of the protein denaturation kinetics. Influence of the pulse fluence and duration on temperature profile development, ablation threshold, and depth of thermal damage is analyzed for the case of Er:YAG laser irradiation of human skin. Influence of mechanical properties on the ablation threshold of soft tissue is predicted theoretically for the first time. In addition, feasibility of deep tissue coagulation with a repetitively pulsed Er:YAG laser is indicated from the model. Received: 9 July 1998 / Revised version: 26 February 1999 / Published online: 26 May 1999