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.