A framework, PhaseLift, was recently proposed to solve the phase retrieval problem. In this framework, the problem is solved by optimizing a cost function over the set of complex Hermitian positive semidefinite matrices. This approach to phase retrieval motivates a more general consideration of optimizing cost functions on semidefinite Hermitian matrices where the desired minimizers … Read more
In a Standard Quadratic Optimization Problem (StQP), a possibly indefinite quadratic form (the simplest nonlinear function) is extremized over the standard simplex, the simplest polytope. Despite this simplicity, the nonconvex instances of this problem class allow for remarkably rich patterns of coexisting local solutions, which are closely related to practical difficulties in solving StQPs globally. … Read more
In Riemannian optimization problems, commonly encountered manifolds are $d$-dimensional matrix manifolds whose tangent spaces can be represented by $d$-dimensional linear subspaces of a $w$-dimensional Euclidean space, where $w > d$. Therefore, representing tangent vectors by $w$-dimensional vectors has been commonly used in practice. However, using $w$-dimensional vectors may be the most natural but may not … Read more
In the context of global optimization and mixed-integer non-linear programming, generalizing a technique of D’Ambrosio, Fampa, Lee and Vigerske for handling the square-root function, we develop a virtuous smoothing method, using cubics, aimed at functions having some limited non-smoothness. Our results pertain to root functions ($w^p$ with $0
We propose to solve global optimal control problems with a new algorithm that is based on Bock’s direct multiple shooting method. We provide conditions and numerical evidence for a significant overall runtime reduction compared to the standard single shooting approach. CitationOptimal Control Applications and Methods, Vol. 39 (2), pp. 449–470, 2017 DOI 10.1002/oca.2324 Article online … Read more
The bounded degree sum-of-squares (BSOS) hierarchy of Lasserre, Toh, and Yang [EURO J. Comput. Optim., 2015] constructs lower bounds for a general polynomial optimization problem with compact feasible set, by solving a sequence of semi-definite programming (SDP) problems. Lasserre, Toh, and Yang prove that these lower bounds converge to the optimal value of the original … Read more
Nonconvex optimization problems are frequently encountered in much of statistics, business, science and engineering, but they are not yet widely recognized as a technology. A reason for this relatively low degree of popularity is the lack of a well developed system of theory and algorithms to support the applications, as is the case for its … Read more
Mathematical programs with equilibrium (or complementarity) constraints, MPECs for short, are a difficult class of constrained optimization problems. The feasible set has a very special structure and violates most of the standard constraint qualifications (CQs). Thus, the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions are not necessarily satisfied by minimizers and the convergence assumptions of many methods for solving … Read more
We extend recent work on mixed-integer nonlinear optimal control prob- lems (MIOCPs) to the case of integer control functions subject to constraints. Promi- nent examples of such systems include problems with restrictions on the number of switches permitted, or problems that minimize switch cost. We extend a theorem due to [Sager et al., Math. Prog. … Read more
This paper considers the problem of minimizing an expectation function over a closed convex set, coupled with an expectation constraint on either decision variables or problem parameters. We first present a new stochastic approximation (SA) type algorithm, namely the cooperative SA (CSA), to handle problems with the expectation constraint on devision variables. We show that … Read more