Cutting Planes by Projecting Interior Points onto Polytope Facets

Given a point x inside a polytope P and a direction d, the projection of x along d asks to find the maximum step length t such that x+td is feasible; we say x+td is a pierce point because it belongs to the boundary of P. We address this projection sub-problem with arbitrary interior points … Read more

An improved projection and rescaling algorithm for conic feasibility problems

Motivated by Chubanov’s projection-based method for linear feasibility problems [Chubanov2015], a projection and rescaling algorithm for the conic feasibility problem \[ find \; x\in L\bigcap \Omega \] is proposed in [Pena2016], where $L$ and $\Omega$ are respectively a linear subspace and the interior of a symmetric cone in a finitely dimensional vector space $V$. When … Read more

Best case exponential running time of a branch-and-bound algorithm using an optimal semidefinite relaxation

Chvatal (1980) has given a simple example of a knapsack problem for which a branch-and-bound algorithm using domination and linear relaxations to eliminate subproblems will use an exponential number of steps in the best case. In this short note it is shown that Chvatals result remains true when the LP relaxation is replaced with a … Read more

Convex computation of extremal invariant measures of nonlinear dynamical systems and Markov processes

We propose a convex-optimization-based framework for computation of invariant measures of polynomial dynamical systems and Markov processes, in discrete and con- tinuous time. The set of all invariant measures is characterized as the feasible set of an infinite-dimensional linear program (LP). The objective functional of this LP is then used to single-out a specific measure … Read more

Finding Minimum Volume Circumscribing Ellipsoids Using Generalized Copositive Programming

We study the problem of finding the Lowner-John ellipsoid, i.e., an ellipsoid with minimum volume that contains a given convex set. We reformulate the problem as a generalized copositive program, and use that reformulation to derive tractable semidefinite programming approximations for instances where the set is defined by affine and quadratic inequalities. We prove that, … Read more

Semidenite Approximations of Invariant Measures for Polynomial Systems

We consider the problem of approximating numerically the moments and the supports of measures which are invariant with respect to the dynamics of continuousand discrete-time polynomial systems, under semialgebraic set constraints. First, we address the problem of approximating the density and hence the support of an invariant measure which is absolutely continuous with respect to … Read more

Data-Driven Distributionally Robust Chance-Constrained Optimization with Wasserstein Metric

We study distributionally robust chance-constrained programming (DRCCP) optimization problems with data-driven Wasserstein ambiguity sets. The proposed algorithmic and reformulation framework applies to distributionally robust optimization problems subjected to individual as well as joint chance constraints, with random right-hand side and technology vector, and under two types of uncertainties, called uncertain probabilities and continuum of realizations. … Read more

The automorphism group and the non-self-duality of p-cones

In this paper, we determine the automorphism group of the p-cones (p\neq 2) in dimension greater than two. In particular, we show that the automorphism group of those p-cones are the positive scalar multiples of the generalized permutation matrices that fix the main axis of the cone. Next, we take a look at a problem … Read more

A multilevel analysis of the Lasserre hierarchy

This paper analyzes the relation between different orders of the Lasserre hierarchy for polynomial optimization (POP). Although for some cases solving the semidefinite programming relaxation corresponding to the first order of the hierarchy is enough to solve the underlying POP, other problems require sequentially solving the second or higher orders until a solution is found. … Read more

On positive duality gaps in semidefinite programming

We study semidefinite programs (SDPs) with positive duality gaps, i.e., different optimal values in the primal and dual problems. the primal and dual problems differ. These SDPs are considered extremely pathological, they are often unsolvable, and they also serve as models of more general pathological convex programs. We first fully characterize two variable SDPs with … Read more