Studies on the Optimal Search Plan

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-VIII

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2. Introduction

   • Kōji Iida

   Pages 1-7

3. Optimal Search Plan for a Stationary Target Minimizing the Expected Risk

   • Kōji Iida

   Pages 8-28

4. Optimal Search Plan for a Moving Target

   • Kōji Iida

   Pages 29-59

5. Optimal Whereabouts Search Plan Minimizing the Expected Risk

   • Kōji Iida

   Pages 60-83

6. Optimal Investigating Search Plan for Contacts in Two-Stage Search

   • Kōji Iida

   Pages 84-102

7. Forestalling Detection in Two-Sided Search

   • Kōji Iida

   Pages 103-121

8. Back Matter

   Pages 122-130

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Search theory is concerned with the location of a 'target' given imprecise information concerning its location. The subject has a variety of applications such as locating missing people in wilderness or at sea, searching for mineral deposits, medical diagnosis, and searching for malfunctions in industrial processes. This volume is concerned with search strategies which are optimal in the sense that they minimize the 'risk' or cost of a search where this may be measured in factors such as time or money. Consequently, the author discusses a range of mathematical techniques including non-linear programming, fractional programming, dynamic programming, the calculus of variation, and the Pontryagin maximum principle from optimal control theory. Many numerical examples are presented in order to illustrate the effectiveness of particular techniques. As a result, this book will provide all researchers in search theory with an up-to-date account of this important area of operations research.

• Rang
• Variation
• attribute
• calculus
• control
• control theory
• distribution
• maximum
• maximum principle
• operations research
• probability
• programming
• search strategy
• selection
• time

• Department of Applied Physics, The National Defense Academy, Yokosuka, Japan

  Kōji Iida

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