The problem of reducing an algebraic Riccati equation XCX−AX−XD+B=0 to a unilateral quadratic matrix equation (UQME) of the
kind PX2+QX+R is analyzed. New reductions are introduced
which enable one to prove some theoretical and computational properties.
In particular we show that the structure preserving doubling algorithm
of B.D.O. Anderson [Internat. J. Control, 1978] is nothing else but the
cyclic reduction algorithm applied to a suitable UQME. A new algorithm
obtained by complementing our reductions with the shrink-and-shift tech-
nique of Ramaswami is presented. Finally, faster algorithms which require
some non-singularity conditions, are designed. The non-singularity re-
striction is relaxed by introducing a suitable similarity transformation of
the Hamiltonian