Genetic Algorithms in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Abstract

Genetic algorithms (GAs) emulate the process of biological evolution, in a computational setting, in order to generate good solutions to difficult search and optimisation problems. GA-based optimisers tend to be extremely robust and versatile compared to most traditional techniques used to solve optimisation problems. This review paper provides a very brief introduction to GAs and outlines their utility in astronomy and astrophysics.