GLOBAL OPTIMIZATION

Global optimization - Generally refers to mathematical programming without convexity assumptions, which are NP-hard . In general, there could be a local optimum that is not a global optimum. Some authors use this term to imply the stronger condition there are multiple local optima . Some solution strategies are given as heuristic search methods (including those that guarantee global convergence , such as branch and bound). As a process associated with algorithm design, some regard this simply as attempts to assure convergence to a global optimum (unlike a purely local optimization procedure, like steepest ascent ). See the supplement , by J.D. Pintér.