Algorithms for searching for normal and near- Yang sequences

This thesis is about normal and near-Yang sequences. An original definition of near-Yang sequences is included. After a short overview of the mathematical background of normal and near-Yang sequences, different algorithms for searching for these sequences are described. These algorithms can be divided in two groups: exhaustive search algorithms and heuristic search algorithms. One of the most important heuristic search algorithms is the simulated annealing algorithm. The following new results were found: Near-Yang sequences with weight 12 do exist for the following lengths ^ = 7,11,13,15. Normal sequences of length n = 24 do not exist. An exhaustive search for length n = 25 has been carried out for about 80% of the search-space and new normal sequences of length 25 have been found. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the algorithms and the results, and directions for further research are suggested. New results obtained from this research wiU appear in "New Results with NearYang Sequences", Utilitas Mathematica, which is accepted for publication.