Multi-objective particle swarm and genetic algorithm for the optimization of the LANSCE linac operation

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA) are both nature-inspired population based optimization methods. Compared to GA, whose long history can trace back to 1975, PSO is a relatively new heuristic search method first proposed in 1995. Due to its fast convergence rate in single objective optimization domain, the PSO method has been extended to optimize multi-objective problems. In this paper, we will introduce the PSO method and its multi-objective extension, the MOPSO, apply it along with the MOGA (mainly the NSGA-II) to simulations of the LANSCE linac and operational set point optimizations. Our tests show that both methods can provide very similar Pareto fronts but the MOPSO converges faster. Published by Elsevier B.V.