A relaxed version of Ryu’s three-operator splitting method for structured nonconvex optimization

In this work, we propose a modification of Ryu’s splitting algorithm for minimizing the sum of three functions, where two of them are convex with Lipschitz continuous gradients, and the third is an arbitrary proper closed function that is not necessarily convex. The modification is essential to facilitate the convergence analysis, particularly in establishing a … Read more

Understanding the Douglas-Rachford splitting method through the lenses of Moreau-type envelopes

We analyze the Douglas-Rachford splitting method for weakly convex optimization problems, by the token of the Douglas-Rachford envelope, a merit function akin to the Moreau envelope. First, we use epi-convergence techniques to show that this artifact approximates the original objective function via epigraphs. Secondly, we present how global convergence and local linear convergence rates for … Read more

Shadow splitting methods for nonconvex optimisation: epi-approximation, convergence and saddle point avoidance

We propose the shadow Davis-Yin three-operator splitting method to solve nonconvex optimisation problems. Its convergence analysis is based on a merit function resembling the Moreau envelope. We explore variational analysis properties behind the merit function and the iteration operators associated with the shadow method. By capitalising on these results, we establish convergence of a damped … Read more

Weak convexity and approximate subdifferentials

We explore and construct an enlarged subdifferential for weakly convex functions. The resulting object turns out to be continuous with respect to both the function argument and the enlargement parameter. We carefully analyze connections with other constructs in the literature and particularize to the weakly convex setting well-known variational principles. By resorting to the new … Read more

A unified analysis of descent sequences in weakly convex optimization, including convergence rates for bundle methods

We present a framework for analyzing convergence and local rates of convergence of a class of descent algorithms, assuming the objective function is weakly convex. The framework is general, in the sense that it combines the possibility of explicit iterations (based on the gradient or a subgradient at the current iterate), implicit iterations (using a … Read more