Polynomial Homotopy Continuation a portable Ada software package

Jan Verschelde and Ronald Cools

Abstract:

This paper provides documentation for the program PHC, a portable software package for polynomial homotopy continuation. Useful information is given on solving polynomial systems by homotopy continuation methods, especially on various root counting techniques and the construction of appropriate start systems. The paper contains a shopping list on the ingredients needed to brew a powerful solver. We list an overview of our database of benchmark problems and comment on practical programming aspects.

The Ada-Belgium Newsletter, 4:59-83, 1996.