I have a function in the form
\begin{align}
f(q,M)=\sup_{0\leq \alpha \leq 1} -\alpha^T (R\odot M)\alpha+\alpha^Tq
\end{align}
which is a dual of a minimization problem,
where $R$ and $M$ are positive semidefinite matrices, and $\alpha$ and $q$ are vectors of length,$n$. Now I have a minimization problem, in the following form
\begin{align}
\text{minimize }_{q,M} &f(q,M)+\frac{1}{2} \Vert q \Vert^2\cr
\text{s.t.} & M \succeq q q^T
\end{align}
I compute the lagrangian of the problem,
\begin{align}
\mathsf{L}=f(q,M)+\frac{1}{2} \Vert q \Vert^2-tr(\begin{bmatrix} Z,z\\z^T,v\\ \end{bmatrix}\begin{bmatrix} M,q\\q^T,1\\ \end{bmatrix})
\end{align}
My question is how to derive $\frac{\partial}{\partial M}L$. Because when I want to derive it,I got the following, which is contradictory because $\alpha \alpha^T\odot R$ and $Z$ are positive semidefinite.
What is wrong?
\begin{align}
\frac{\partial}{\partial M}L=-\alpha \alpha^T\odot R -Z = 0
\end{align}
I wrote the problem in this equivalent form,
\begin{align}
\text{minimize }_{t,q,M} &t+\frac{1}{2} \Vert q \Vert^2\cr
\text{s.t.} & M \succeq q q^T\cr
&t\geq -\alpha^T (R\odot M)\alpha+\alpha^Tq
\end{align}
Now, The lagrangian can be written for the above problem using standard techniques,
\begin{align}
\mathsf{L}(t,q,M;Z,z,v,u,w,s)&=t+\frac{1}{2} \Vert q \Vert^2-tr(\begin{bmatrix} Z,z\\z^T,v\\ \end{bmatrix}\begin{bmatrix} M,q\\q^T,1\\ \end{bmatrix})+u(-\alpha^T (R\odot M)\alpha+\alpha^Tq-t)\cr
&=(1-u)t+\frac{1}{2} \Vert q \Vert^2-tr((Z+u(R\odot \alpha\alpha^T))^TM)-2 z^T q -v+uq^T \alpha
\end{align}
Still the same problem exists.
Please notice that I want to know how to derive the dual correctly. The problem is feasible and bounded. But the above analysis suggest it's not. Also, a question similar to this but about a different problem asked here
2026-03-25 23:36:33.1774481793
What's wrong in this dual derivation?
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1
Note that $\alpha=0$ is feasible and gives $-\alpha^T (R\odot M)\alpha+\alpha^Tq=0$ $\quad\Rightarrow\quad$ $f(q,M)\ge 0$ $\quad\Rightarrow\quad$ $g(q,M)=f(q,M)+\frac12\|q\|^2\ge 0$ $\quad\Rightarrow\quad$ $\min\, g(q,M)\ge 0$.
Now take $q=0$ $\quad\Rightarrow\quad$ $f(0,M)=0$ $\quad\Rightarrow\quad$ $g(0,M)=0$.
Conclusion: the minimum is zero, attained at $(0,M)$ for any positive semi-definite $M$.