Techniques of optimization are applied in many problems in economics, automatic control, engineering, etc. and a wealth of literature is devoted to this subject. The first computer applications involved linear programming problems with simp- le structure and comparatively uncomplicated nonlinear pro- blems: These could be solved readily with the computational power of existing machines, more than 20 years ago. Problems of increasing size and nonlinear complexity made it necessa- ry to develop a complete new arsenal of methods for obtai- ning numerical results in a reasonable time. The lineariza- tion method is one of the fruits of this research of the last 20 years. It is closely related to Newton's method for solving systems of linear equations, to penalty function me- thods and to methods of nondifferentiable optimization. It requires the efficient solution of quadratic programming problems and this leads to a connection with conjugate gra- dient methods and variable metrics. This book, written by one of the leading specialists of optimization theory, sets out to provide - for a wide readership including engineers, economists and optimization specialists, from graduate student level on - a brief yet quite complete exposition of this most effective method of solution of optimization problems.

Adaptive systems are widely encountered in many applications ranging through adaptive filtering and more generally adaptive signal processing, systems identification and adaptive control, to pattern recognition and machine intelligence: adaptation is now recognised as keystone of "intelligence" within computerised systems. These diverse areas echo the classes of models which conveniently describe each corresponding system. Thus although there can hardly be a "general theory of adaptive systems" encompassing both the modelling task and the design of the adaptation procedure, nevertheless, these diverse issues have a major common component: namely the use of adaptive algorithms, also known as stochastic approximations in the mathematical statistics literature, that is to say the adaptation procedure (once all modelling problems have been resolved). The juxtaposition of these two expressions in the title reflects the ambition of the authors to produce a reference work, both for engineers who use these adaptive algorithms and for probabilists or statisticians who would like to study stochastic approximations in terms of problems arising from real applications. Hence the book is organised in two parts, the first one user-oriented, and the second providing the mathematical foundations to support the practice described in the first part. The book covers the topcis of convergence, convergence rate, permanent adaptation and tracking, change detection, and is illustrated by various realistic applications originating from these areas of applications.

"You ever hunt werewolf, Whitney?" It is 1903 and that startling question is only one of many posed to young zoologist Gerard Whitney by eccentric Oklahoma cattle rancher Harold B. Tucker. When hired by Tucker he expects only to study wildlife on the ranch, but instead finds himself caught up in Tucker's true passion, searching the world for legendary creatures. And the thing Tucker wants most? To find a living dinosaur As they embark on one wild and dangerous adventure after another, Whitney is sure Tucker will never succeed. But what they eventually discover exceeds both men's wildest dreams - and nightmares.

Techniques of optimization are applied in many problems in economics, automatic control, engineering, etc. and a wealth of literature is devoted to this subject. The first computer applications involved linear programming problems with simp- le structure and comparatively uncomplicated nonlinear pro- blems: These could be solved readily with the computational power of existing machines, more than 20 years ago. Problems of increasing size and nonlinear complexity made it necessa- ry to develop a complete new arsenal of methods for obtai- ning numerical results in a reasonable time. The lineariza- tion method is one of the fruits of this research of the last 20 years. It is closely related to Newton's method for solving systems of linear equations, to penalty function me- thods and to methods of nondifferentiable optimization. It requires the efficient solution of quadratic programming problems and this leads to a connection with conjugate gra- dient methods and variable metrics. This book, written by one of the leading specialists of optimization theory, sets out to provide - for a wide readership including engineers, economists and optimization specialists, from graduate student level on - a brief yet quite complete exposition of this most effective method of solution of optimization problems.