Speeding-Up Convergence via Sequential Subspace Optimization: Current State and Future Directions

Abstract: This is an overview paper written in style of research proposal. In recent years we introduced a general framework for large-scale unconstrained optimization -- Sequential Subspace Optimization (SESOP) and demonstrated its usefulness for sparsity-based signal/image denoising, deconvolution, compressive sensing, computed tomography, diffraction imaging, support vector machines. We explored its combination with Parallel Coordinate Descent and Separable Surrogate Function methods, obtaining state of the art results in above-mentioned areas. There are several methods, that are faster than plain SESOP under specific conditions: Trust region Newton method - for problems with easily invertible Hessian matrix; Truncated Newton method - when fast multiplication by Hessian is available; Stochastic optimization methods - for problems with large stochastic-type data; Multigrid methods - for problems with nested multilevel structure. Each of these methods can be further improved by merge with SESOP. One can also accelerate Augmented Lagrangian method for constrained optimization problems and Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers for problems with separable objective function and non-separable constraints.