Convergence of multi-level iterative aggregation-disaggregation methods

This paper introduces an error propagation formula of a certain class of multi-level iterative aggregation-disaggregation (IAD) methods for numerical solutions of stationary probability vectors of discrete finite Markov chains. The formula can be used to investigate convergence by computing the spectral radius of the error propagation matrix for specific Markov chains. Numerical experiments indicate that the same type of the formula could be used for a wider class of the multi-level IAD methods. Using the formula we show that for given data there is no relation between convergence of two-level and of multi-level IAD methods. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.