Convergence analysis of the Schwarz alternating method for unconstrained elliptic optimal control problems

Abstract: In this paper we analyze the Schwarz alternating method for unconstrained elliptic optimal control problems. We discuss the convergence properties of the method in the continuous case first and then apply the arguments to the finite difference discretization case. In both cases, we prove that the Schwarz alternating method is convergent if its counterpart for an elliptic equation is convergent. Meanwhile, the convergence rate of the method for the elliptic equation under the maximum norm also gives a uniform upper bound (with respect to the regularization parameter $\alpha$) of the convergence rate of the method for the optimal control problem under the maximum norm of proper error merit functions in the continuous case or vectors in the discrete case. Our numerical results corroborate our theoretical results and show that with $\alpha$ decreasing to zero, the method will converge faster. We also give some exposition of this phenomenon.