Robustness Analysis of HottTopixx, a Linear Programming Model for Factoring Nonnegative Matrices

Although nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) is NP-hard in general, it has been shown very recently that it is tractable under the assumption that the input nonnegative data matrix is separable (that is, there exists a cone spanned by a small subset of the columns containing all columns). Since then, several algorithms have been designed to … Read more

Parallel Implementation of Successive Sparse SDP Relaxations for Large-scale Euclidean Distance Geometry Problems

The Euclidean distance geometry problem (EDGP) includes locating sensors in a sensor network and constructing a molecular configuration using given distances in the two or three-dimensional Euclidean space. When the locations of some nodes, called anchors, are given, the problem can be dealt with many existing methods. An anchor-free problem in the three-dimensional space, however, … Read more

The Slater condition is generic in linear conic programming

We call a property generic if it holds for almost all problem instances. For linear conic problems, it has been shown in the literature that properties like uniqueness, strict complementarity or nondegeneracy of the optimal solution are generic under the assumption that Slater’s condition is fulfilled. The possibility that Slater’s condition generically fails has not … Read more

A Semidefinite Approach to the $ Cover Problem

We apply theta body relaxations to the $K_i$ cover problem and use this to show polynomial time solvability for certain classes of graphs. In particular, we give an effective relaxation where all $K_i$-$p$-hole facets are valid, addressing an open question of Conforti et al \cite{conforti}. For the triangle free problem, we show for $K_n$ that … Read more

Complexity of Ten Decision Problems in Continuous Time Dynamical Systems

We show that for continuous time dynamical systems described by polynomial differential equations of modest degree (typically equal to three), the following decision problems which arise in numerous areas of systems and control theory cannot have a polynomial time (or even pseudo-polynomial time) algorithm unless P=NP: local attractivity of an equilibrium point, stability of an … Read more

Quadratic combinatorial optimization using separable underestimators

Binary programs with a quadratic objective function are NP-hard in general, even if the linear optimization problem over the same feasible set is tractable. In this paper, we address such problems by computing quadratic global underestimators of the objective function that are separable but not necessarily convex. Exploiting the binary constraint on the variables, a … Read more

Hybrid LP/SDP Bounding Procedure

The principal idea of this paper is to exploit Semidefinite Programming (SDP) relaxation within the framework provided by Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) solvers when tackling Binary Quadratic Problems (BQP). SDP relaxation is well-known to provide strong bounds for BQP in practice. However, the method is not typically implemented in many state-of-the-art MINLP solvers based … Read more

Solving large scale polynomial convex problems on \ell_1/nuclear norm balls by randomized first-order algorithms

One of the most attractive recent approaches to processing well-structured large-scale convex optimization problems is based on smooth convex-concave saddle point reformulation of the problem of interest and solving the resulting problem by a fast First Order saddle point method utilizing smoothness of the saddle point cost function. In this paper, we demonstrate that when … Read more

Simplified Copositive and Lagrangian Relaxations for Linearly Constrained Quadratic Optimization Problems in Continuous and Binary Variables

For a quadratic optimization problem (QOP) with linear equality constraints in continuous nonnegative variables and binary variables, we propose three relaxations in simplified forms with a parameter $\lambda$: Lagrangian, completely positive, and copositive relaxations. These relaxations are obtained by reducing the QOP to an equivalent QOP with a single quadratic equality constraint in nonnegative variables, … Read more

Lowest-rank Solutions of Continuous and Discrete Lyapunov Equations over Symmetric Cone

The low-rank solutions of continuous and discrete Lyapunov equations are of great importance but generally difficult to achieve in control system analysis and design. Fortunately, Mesbahi and Papavassilopoulos [On the rank minimization problems over a positive semidefinite linear matrix inequality, IEEE Trans. Auto. Control, Vol. 42, No. 2 (1997), 239-243] showed that with the semidefinite … Read more