Solving clustered low-rank semidefinite programs arising from polynomial optimization

Abstract: We study a primal-dual interior point method specialized to clustered low-rank semidefinite programs requiring high precision numerics, which arise from certain multivariate polynomial (matrix) programs through sums-of-squares characterizations and sampling. We consider the interplay of sampling and symmetry reduction as well as a greedy method to obtain numerically good bases and sample points. We apply this to the computation of three-point bounds for the kissing number problem, for which we show a significant speedup. This allows for the computation of improved kissing number bounds in dimensions $11$ through $23$. The approach performs well for problems with bad numerical conditioning, which we show through new computations for the binary sphere packing problem.