Resolve "Add the option to set the start point for bilby_mcmc"

Closes #648 (closed) and cherry picks from !1082 (closed)

added Feature-request label

added 1 commit

• b98e23d9 - Add initial functionality to set the initial sample

Compare with previous version

added 1 commit

• 09db9b5d - Implement the differential evolution maximum likelihood estimate

Compare with previous version

@colm.talbot I implemented the differential_evolution approach you suggested in !1082 (closed). It works very nicely for a 4D case. Extending to 15D, it wasn't as impressive, but perhaps there are some controls I didn't explore.

I also wonder if doing an intrinsic-only optimization might be best. But, perhaps that can left for another day.

Please can we set this to not close #648 (closed)? I think we should add into that issue specifying the literal point to start at, or potentially a set of points (maybe from a json file) for different temperatures. (I'll copy this comment into #648 (closed))

added 3 commits

• bc414fc3 - Update to maximum posterior estimate
• a7782a7b - Use the sobol init method
• 488d36eb - Switch to a separate method and dict option

Compare with previous version

@colm.talbot I implemented a simple version of the "literal" point to start at and updated to a separate method and dictionary option.

added 1 commit

• 81aa6d6d - Split up prior evaluation

Compare with previous version

Currently, the method works. But, it fails if there are Constrained priors. It seems that it chooses points in the parameter space with negative infinity log likelihood and then gets stuck.

added 3 commits

• 81aa6d6d...b364e538 - 2 commits from branch master
• c8b3ccf4 - Merge branch 'master' into 648-add-the-option-to-set-the-start-point-for-bilby_mcmc

Compare with previous version

changed milestone to %1.3.0

marked this merge request as ready

added 1 commit

• 200cf5b1 - Apply 1 suggestion(s) to 1 file(s)

Compare with previous version

added 8 commits

• 200cf5b1...93b19659 - 7 commits from branch master
• d80fec94 - Merge branch 'master' into 648-add-the-option-to-set-the-start-point-for-bilby_mcmc

Compare with previous version

approved this merge request

approved this merge request