PIVOT METHOD FOR GLOBAL OPTIMIZATION

A pivot algorithm for the location of a global minimum of a multiple-m inimum problem is presented. The pivot method uses a series of randoml y placed probes in phase space, moving the worst probes to be near bet ter probes iteratively until the system converges. The approach choose s nearest-neighbor pivot probes to search the entire phase space by us ing a nonlocal distribution for the placement of the relocated probes. To test the algorithm, a standard suite of functions is given, as wel l as the energies and geometric structures of Lennard-Jones clusters, demonstrating the extreme efficiency of the method. Significant improv ement over previous methods for high-dimensional systems is shown.