Image Space Analysis for Vector Variational Inequalities with Matrix Inequality Constraints and Applications

In this paper, vector variational inequalities (VVI) with matrix inequality constraints are investigated by using the image space analysis. Linear separation for VVI with matrix inequality constraints is characterized by using the saddle-point conditions of the Lagrangian function. Lagrangian-type necessary and sufficient optimality conditions for VVI with matrix inequality constraints are derived by utilizing the separation theorem. Gap functions for VVI with matrix inequality constraints and weak sharp minimum property for the solutions set of VVI with matrix inequality constraints are also considered. The results obtained above are applied to investigate the Lagrangian-type necessary and sufficient optimality conditions for vector linear semidefinite programming problems as well as VVI with convex quadratic inequality constraints.     

Nonlinear Lagrangian Theory for Nonconvex Optimization

The Lagrangian function in the conventional theory for solving constrained optimization problems is a linear combination of the cost and constraint functions. Typically, the optimality conditions based on linear Lagrangian theory are either necessary or sufficient, but not both unless the underlying cost and constraint functions are also convex.We propose a somewhat different approach for solving a nonconvex inequality constrained optimization problem based on a nonlinear Lagrangian function. This leads to optimality conditions which are both sufficient and necessary, without any convexity assumption. Subsequently, under appropriate assumptions, the optimality conditions derived from the new nonlinear Lagrangian approach are used to obtain an equivalent root-finding problem. By appropriately defining a dual optimization problem and an alternative dual problem, we show that zero duality gap will hold always regardless of convexity, contrary to the case of linear Lagrangian duality.     

Nonlinear separation concerning <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>-optimal solution of constrained multi-objective optimization problems

This paper aims at investigating optimality conditions in terms of E-optimal solution for constrained multi-objective optimization problems in a general scheme, where E is an improvement set with respect to a nontrivial closed convex point cone with apex at the origin. In the case where E is not convex, nonlinear vector regular weak separation functions and scalar weak separation functions are introduced respectively to realize the separation between the two sets in the image space, and Lagrangian-type optimality conditions are established. These results extend and improve the convex ones in the literature.     

Optimality Conditions for Generalized Ky Fan Quasi-Inequalities with Applications

In this paper, the image space analysis is employed to study a generalized Ky Fan quasi-inequality with cone constraints. By virtue of a nonlinear scalarization function and a positive linear operator, a nonlinear (regular) weak separation function and a linear regular weak separation function are introduced. Nonlinear and, in particular, linear separations for the generalized Ky Fan quasi-inequality with cone constraints are characterized. Some necessary and sufficient optimality conditions, especially a saddle-point sufficient optimality condition for the generalized Ky Fan quasi-inequality with cone constraints, are obtained. As applications, some sufficient conditions for (weak) vector equilibrium flows of vector traffic equilibrium problems with capacity arc constraints, are derived.     

Characterizations for Optimality Conditions of General Robust Optimization Problems

In this paper, by virtue of the image space analysis, the general scalar robust optimization problems under the strictly robust counterpart are considered, among which, the uncertainties are included in the objective as well as the constraints. Besides, on the strength of a corrected image in a new type, an equivalent relation between the uncertain optimization problem and its image problem is also established, which provides an idea to tackle with minimax problems. Furthermore, theorems of the robust weak alternative as well as sufficient characterizations of robust optimality conditions are achieved on the frame of the linear and nonlinear (regular) weak separation functions. Moreover, several necessary and sufficient optimality conditions, especially saddle point sufficient optimality conditions for scalar robust optimization problems, are obtained. Finally, a simple example for finding a shortest path is included to show the effectiveness of the results derived in this paper.     

A Unified Approach to the Global Exactness of Penalty and Augmented Lagrangian Functions I: Parametric Exactness

In this two-part study, we develop a unified approach to the analysis of the global exactness of various penalty and augmented Lagrangian functions for constrained optimization problems in finite-dimensional spaces. This approach allows one to verify in a simple and straightforward manner whether a given penalty/augmented Lagrangian function is exact, i.e., whether the problem of unconstrained minimization of this function is equivalent (in some sense) to the original constrained problem, provided the penalty parameter is sufficiently large. Our approach is based on the so-called localization principle that reduces the study of global exactness to a local analysis of a chosen merit function near globally optimal solutions. In turn, such local analysis can be performed with the use of optimality conditions and constraint qualifications. In the first paper, we introduce the concept of global parametric exactness and derive the localization principle in the parametric form. With the use of this version of the localization principle, we recover existing simple, necessary, and sufficient conditions for the global exactness of linear penalty functions and for the existence of augmented Lagrange multipliers of Rockafellar–Wets’ augmented Lagrangian. We also present completely new necessary and sufficient conditions for the global exactness of general nonlinear penalty functions and for the global exactness of a continuously differentiable penalty function for nonlinear second-order cone programming problems. We briefly discuss how one can construct a continuously differentiable exact penalty function for nonlinear semidefinite programming problems as well.     

Image Space Analysis for Constrained Inverse Vector Variational Inequalities via Multiobjective Optimization

In this paper, we employ the image space analysis to study constrained inverse vector variational inequalities. First, sufficient and necessary optimality conditions for constrained inverse vector variational inequalities are established by using multiobjective optimization. A continuous nonlinear function is also introduced based on the oriented distance function and projection operator. This function is proven to be a weak separation function and a regular weak separation function under different parameter sets. Then, two alternative theorems are established, which lead directly to sufficient and necessary optimality conditions of the inverse vector variational inequalities. This provides a partial answer to an open question posed in Chen et al. (J Optim Theory Appl 166:460–479, 2015).     

Partially Strictly Monotone and Nonlinear Penalty Functions for Constrained Mathematical Programs

We introduce the concept of partially strictly monotone functions and apply it to construct a class of nonlinear penalty functions for a constrained optimization problem. This class of nonlinear penalty functions includes some (nonlinear) penalty functions currently used in the literature as special cases. Assuming that the perturbation function is lower semi-continuous, we prove that the sequence of optimal values of nonlinear penalty problems converges to that of the original constrained optimization problem. First-order and second-order necessary optimality conditions of nonlinear penalty problems are derived by converting the optimality of penalty problems into that of a smooth constrained vector optimization problem. This approach allows for a concise derivation of optimality conditions of nonlinear penalty problems. Finally, we prove that each limit point of the second-order stationary points of the nonlinear penalty problems is a second-order stationary point of the original constrained optimization problem.     

Weak minimization and duality

Sufficient and necessary optimality conditions are given for weakly minimized optimization problems in terms of a vector valued Lagrangian. Lagrangian and Wolfe type duals are constructed and duality established using an ordering that accords with the definition of a weak minimum. The results for differentiable problems continue to hold under weakened convexity assumptions and for problems which quasiminimize rather than minimize.     

Set-Valued Systems with Infinite-Dimensional Image and Applications

In infinite-dimensional spaces, we investigate a set-valued system from the image perspective. By exploiting the quasi-interior and the quasi-relative interior, we give some new equivalent characterizations of (proper, regular) linear separation and establish some new sufficient and necessary conditions for the impossibility of the system under new assumptions, which do not require the set to have nonempty interior. We also present under mild assumptions the equivalence between (proper, regular) linear separation and saddle points of Lagrangian functions for the system. These results are applied to obtain some new saddle point sufficient and necessary optimality conditions of vector optimization problems.     

Further Study on Augmented Lagrangian Duality Theory

In this paper, we present a necessary and sufficient condition for a zero duality gap between a primal optimization problem and its generalized augmented Lagrangian dual problems. The condition is mainly expressed in the form of the lower semicontinuity of a perturbation function at the origin. For a constrained optimization problem, a general equivalence is established for zero duality gap properties defined by a general nonlinear Lagrangian dual problem and a generalized augmented Lagrangian dual problem, respectively. For a constrained optimization problem with both equality and inequality constraints, we prove that first-order and second-order necessary optimality conditions of the augmented Lagrangian problems with a convex quadratic augmenting function converge to that of the original constrained program. For a mathematical program with only equality constraints, we show that the second-order necessary conditions of general augmented Lagrangian problems with a convex augmenting function converge to that of the original constrained program.This research is supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (PolyU B-Q359.)     

向量映射的鞍点和Lagrange对偶问题

本文研究拓扑向量空间广义锥-次类凸映射向量优化问题的鞍点最优性条件和Lagrange对偶问题,建立向量优化问题的Fritz John鞍点和Kuhn-Tucker鞍点的最优性条件及其与向量优化问题的有效解和弱有效解之间的联系。通过对偶问题和向量优化问题的标量化刻画各解之间的关系,给出目标映射是广义锥-次类凸的向量优化问题在其约束映射满足广义Slater约束规格的条件下的对偶定理。     

Vector quasi-equilibrium problems: separation,saddle points and error bounds for the solution set

In this paper, we employ the image space analysis (for short, ISA) to investigate vector quasi-equilibrium problems (for short, VQEPs) with a variable ordering relation, the constrained condition of which also consists of a variable ordering relation. The quasi relatively weak VQEP (for short, qr-weak VQEP) are defined by introducing the notion of the quasi relative interior. Linear separation for VQEP (res., qr-weak VQEP) is characterized by utilizing the quasi interior of a regularization of the image and the saddle points of generalized Lagrangian functions. Lagrangian type optimality conditions for VQEP (res., qr-weak VQEP) are then presented. Gap functions for VQEP (res., qr-weak VQEP) are also provided and moreover, it is shown that an error bound holds for the solution set of VQEP (res., qr-weak VQEP) with respect to the gap function under strong monotonicity.     

Hamilton-Jacobi inequalities in control problems for impulsive dynamical systems

We propose definitions of strong and weak monotonicity of Lyapunov-type functions for nonlinear impulsive dynamical systems that admit vector measures as controls and have trajectories of bounded variation. We formulate infinitesimal conditions for the strong and weak monotonicity in the form of systems of proximal Hamilton-Jacobi inequalities. As an application of strongly and weakly monotone Lyapunov-type functions, we consider estimates for integral funnels of impulsive systems as well as necessary and sufficient conditions of global optimality corresponding to the approach of the canonical Hamilton-Jacobi theory.     

The Canonical Theory of the Impulse Process Optimality

The paper is devoted to the development of the canonical theory of the Hamilton–Jacobi optimality for nonlinear dynamical systems with controls of the vector measure type and with trajectories of bounded variation. Infinitesimal conditions of the strong and weak monotonicity of continuous Lyapunov-type functions with respect to the impulsive dynamical system are formulated. Necessary and sufficient conditions of the global optimality for the problem of the optimal impulsive control with general end restrictions are represented. The conditions include the sets of weak and strong monotone Lyapunov-type functions and are based on the reduction of the original problem of the optimal impulsive control a finite-dimensional optimization problem on an estimated set of connectable points.     

When the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker Theorem Fails: Constraint Qualifications and Higher-Order Optimality Conditions for Degenerate Optimization Problems

In this paper, we present higher-order analysis of necessary and sufficient optimality conditions for problems with inequality constraints. The paper addresses the case when the constraints are not assumed to be regular at a solution of the optimization problems. In the first two theorems derived in the paper, we show how Karush–Kuhn–Tucker necessary conditions reduce to a specific form containing the objective function only. Then we present optimality conditions of the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker type in Banach spaces under new regularity assumptions. After that, we analyze problems for which the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker form of optimality conditions does not hold and propose necessary and sufficient conditions for those problems. To formulate the optimality conditions, we introduce constraint qualifications for new classes of nonregular nonlinear optimization. The approach of p-regularity used in the paper can be applied to various degenerate nonlinear optimization problems due to its flexibility and generality.     

Separations and Optimality of Constrained Multiobjective Optimization via Improvement Sets

In this paper, we investigate the separations and optimality conditions for the optimal solution defined by the improvement set of a constrained multiobjective optimization problem. We introduce a vector-valued regular weak separation function and a scalar weak separation function via a nonlinear scalarization function defined in terms of an improvement set. The nonlinear separation between the image of the multiobjective optimization problem and an improvement set in the image space is established by the scalar weak separation function. Saddle point type optimality conditions for the optimal solution of the multiobjective optimization problem are established, respectively, by the nonlinear and linear separation methods. We also obtain the relationships between the optimal solution and approximate efficient solution of the multiobjective optimization problem. Finally, sufficient and necessary conditions for the (regular) linear separation between the approximate image of the multiobjective optimization problem and a convex cone are also presented.     

On <Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis>-invex multiobjective programming. Part I. Optimality

In this paper, a generalization of convexity, namely G-invexity, is considered in the case of nonlinear multiobjective programming problems where the functions constituting vector optimization problems are differentiable. The modified Karush-Kuhn-Tucker necessary optimality conditions for a certain class of multiobjective programming problems are established. To prove this result, the Kuhn-Tucker constraint qualification and the definition of the Bouligand tangent cone for a set are used. The assumptions on (weak) Pareto optimal solutions are relaxed by means of vector-valued G-invex functions.     

Nonlinear separation approach to inverse variational inequalities

In this paper, we employ the image space analysis to investigate an inverse variational inequality (for short, IVI) with a cone constraint. By virtue of the nonlinear scalarization function commonly known as the Gerstewitz function, three nonlinear weak separation functions, two nonlinear regular weak separation functions and a nonlinear strong separation function are first introduced. Then, by these nonlinear separation functions, theorems of the weak and strong alternative and some optimality conditions for IVI with a cone constraint are derived without any convexity. In particular, a global saddle-point condition for a nonlinear function is investigated. It is shown that the existence of a saddle point is equivalent to a nonlinear separation of two suitable subsets of the image space. Finally, two gap functions and an error bound for IVI with a cone constraint are obtained.     

A Unified Approach for Constrained Extremum Problems: Image Space Analysis

In this paper, by exploiting the image space analysis we investigate a class of constrained extremum problems, the constraining function of which is set-valued. We show that a (regular) linear separation in the image space is equivalent to the existence of saddle points of Lagrangian and generalized Lagrangian functions and we also give Lagrangian type optimality conditions for the class of constrained extremum problems under suitable generalized convexity and compactness assumptions. Moreover, we consider an exact penalty problem for the class of constrained extremum problems and prove that it is equivalent to the existence of a regular linear separation under suitable generalized convexity and compactness assumptions.