Hidden convexity, optimization, and algorithms on rotation matrices

MaRDI QIDQ6433422zbMATH OpenFDO

Authors Akshay Ramachandran, Kevin Shu, Alex L. Wang

Publication date 17 April 2023

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Nonconvex programming, global optimization (90C26) Semidefinite programming (90C22) Convex functions and convex programs in convex geometry (52A41) Symmetries, Lie group and Lie algebra methods for problems in mechanics (70G65)

Abstract: This paper studies hidden convexity properties associated with constrained optimization problems over the set of rotation matrices $extSO(n)$. Such problems are nonconvex due to the constraint $XinextSO(n)$. Nonetheless, we show that certain linear images of $extSO(n)$ are convex, opening up the possibility for convex optimization algorithms with provable guarantees for these problems. Our main technical contributions show that any two-dimensional image of $extSO(n)$ is convex and that the projection of $extSO(n)$ onto its strict upper triangular entries is convex. These results allow us to construct exact convex reformulations for constrained optimization problems over $extSO(n)$ with a single constraint or with constraints defined by low-rank matrices. Both of these results are optimal in a formal sense.

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