Runge–Kutta–Nyström‐type parallel block predictor–corrector methods

This paper describes the construction of block predictor–corrector methods based on Runge–Kutta–Nyström correctors. Our approach is to apply the predictor–corrector method not only with stepsize h, but, in addition (and simultaneously) with stepsizes aih, i = 1 ...,r. In this way, at each step, a whole block of approximations to the exact solution at off‐step points is computed. In the next step, these approximations are used to obtain a high‐order predictor formula using Lagrange or Hermite interpolation. Since the block approximations at the off‐step points can be computed in parallel, the sequential costs of these block predictor–corrector methods are comparable with those of a conventional predictor–corrector method. Furthermore, by using Runge–Kutta–Nyström corrector methods, the computation of the approximation at each off‐step point is also highly parallel. Numerical comparisons on a shared memory computer show the efficiency of the methods for problems with expensive function evaluations.