Accelerated and Inexact forward-backward algorithms

We propose a convergence analysis of accelerated forward-backward splitting methods for minimizing composite functions, when the proximity operator is not available in closed form, and is thus computed up to a certain precision. We prove that the $1/k^2$ convergence rate for the function values can be achieved if the admissible errors are of a certain … Read more

A Complementarity Partition Theorem for Multifold Conic Systems

Consider a homogeneous multifold convex conic system $$ Ax = 0, \; x\in K_1\times \cdots \times K_r $$ and its alternative system $$ A\transp y \in K_1^*\times \cdots \times K_r^*, $$ where $K_1,\dots, K_r$ are regular closed convex cones. We show that there is canonical partition of the index set $\{1,\dots,r\}$ determined by certain complementarity … Read more

Distributed Basis Pursuit

We propose a distributed algorithm for solving the optimization problem Basis Pursuit (BP). BP finds the least L1-norm solution of the underdetermined linear system Ax = b and is used, for example, in compressed sensing for reconstruction. Our algorithm solves BP on a distributed platform such as a sensor network, and is designed to minimize … Read more

Efficient Serial and Parallel Coordinate Descent Methods for Huge-Scale Truss Topology Design

In this work we propose solving huge-scale instances of the truss topology design problem with coordinate descent methods. We develop four efficient codes: serial and parallel implementations of randomized and greedy rules for the selection of the variable (potential bar) to be updated in the next iteration. Both serial methods enjoy an O(n/k) iteration complexity … Read more

Twice differentiable characterizations of convexity notions for functions on full dimensional convex sets

We derive $C^2-$characterizations for convex, strictly convex, as well as uniformly convex functions on full dimensional convex sets. In the cases of convex and uniformly convex functions this weakens the well-known openness assumption on the convex sets. We also show that, in a certain sense, the full dimensionality assumption cannot be weakened further. In the … Read more

A quadratically convergent Newton method for vector optimization

We propose a Newton method for solving smooth unconstrained vector optimization problems under partial orders induced by general closed convex pointed cones. The method extends the one proposed by Fliege, Grana Drummond and Svaiter for multicriteria, which in turn is an extension of the classical Newton method for scalar optimization. The steplength is chosen by … Read more

Manifold Identification in Dual Averaging for Regularized Stochastic Online Learning

Iterative methods that calculate their steps from approximate subgradient directions have proved to be useful for stochastic learning problems over large and streaming data sets. When the objective consists of a loss function plus a nonsmooth regularization term, the solution often lies on a low-dimensional manifold of parameter space along which the regularizer is smooth. … Read more

On the O(1/t) convergence rate of the projection and contraction methods for variational inequalities with Lipschitz continuous monotone operators

Recently, Nemirovski’s analysis indicates that the extragradient method has the $O(1/t)$ convergence rate for variational inequalities with Lipschitz continuous monotone operators. For the same problems, in the last decades, we have developed a class of Fej\’er monotone projection and contraction methods. Until now, only convergence results are available to these projection and contraction methods, though … Read more

Iteration Complexity of Randomized Block-Coordinate Descent Methods for Minimizing a Composite Function

In this paper we develop a randomized block-coordinate descent method for minimizing the sum of a smooth and a simple nonsmooth block-separable convex function and prove that it obtains an $\epsilon$-accurate solution with probability at least $1-\rho$ in at most $O(\tfrac{n}{\epsilon} \log \tfrac{1}{\rho})$ iterations, where $n$ is the number of blocks. For strongly convex functions … Read more

How to generate weakly infeasible semidefinite programs via Lasserre’s relaxations for polynomial optimization

Examples of weakly infeasible semidefinite programs are useful to test whether semidefinite solvers can detect infeasibility. However, finding non trivial such examples is notoriously difficult. This note shows how to use Lasserre’s semidefinite programming relaxations for polynomial optimization in order to generate examples of weakly infeasible semidefinite programs. Such examples could be used to test … Read more