Error using optimization and likelihood

Hi, I keep getting this errors:

    Error in selectivitykk>@(initial)neg_log_likelihood(initial,c,p2,R2,R3) (line 23)
    [params,fval,exitflag,output,grad,hessian] = fminunc
    (@(initial)neg_log_likelihood(initial,c,p2,R2,R3),initial,OPTIONS);

    Error in fminunc (line 292)
            f = feval(funfcn{3},x,varargin{:});

    Error in selectivitykk (line 23)
    [params,fval,exitflag,output,grad,hessian] = fminunc
    (@(initial)neg_log_likelihood(initial,c,p2,R2,R3),initial,OPTIONS);

    Caused by:
        Failure in initial objective function evaluation. FMINUNC cannot continue.

My code so far:

    function [R0,SIG2,K]=selectivitykk
    load data.mat  % LOAD DATA
    c=zeros(31,3);
    for k=14:44 % Length from 14 cm to 44 cm
        c(k-13,1)=k; % length
        c(k-13,2)=sum(LENG2==k); % Number of fish with length k caught in 2 inch
        c(k-13,3)=sum(LENG3==k); % Number of fish with length k caught in 3 inch
        end
    R2=c(:,1)/(2*2.54); % Length divided by mesh size in cm for 2 inch mesh
    R3=c(:,1)/(3*2.54); % Length divided by mesh size in cm for 3 inch mesh
    p2=EFFORT2/(EFFORT2+EFFORT3);
    %%OPTIMIZATION
    initial=[1,1,1]; % Initial guess of R0 and Sigma (can be negative)
    % Setting options for minimization routine
    OPTIONS = optimset(@fminunc);
    OPTIONS.MaxFunEvals=1000*8;
    OPTIONS.MaxIter=10000;
    OPTIONS.TolFun=1.0000e-21;
    OPTIONS.TolX=1.0000e-14;
    OPTIONS.Algorithm='quasi-newton';
    %*********************************************************************************
    % minimize likelihood
    [params,fval,exitflag,output,grad,hessian] = fminunc  (@(initial)neg_log_likelihood(initial,c,p2,R2,R3),initial,OPTIONS);
    loglik=-fval; % Log Likelihood
    R0=sqrt(params(1)^2); % making sure R0 is positive
    SIG2=params(2)^2; %Converting Sigma to Sigma Squared (STD to VARIANCE)
    K=params(3);%making sure K is positive
    a=(1/sqrt(2*pi)*exp(R2-R0/SIG2)/2);%lowecase phi mesh size 2
    b=1/2*(1+erf(3*(R2-R0/SIG2)/sqrt(2)));%capital case phi mesh size 2
    c=(1/sqrt(2*pi)*exp(R3-R0/SIG2)/2);%lowecase phi mesh size 3
    d=1/2*(1+erf(3*(R3-R0/SIG2)/sqrt(2)));
    end

    function loglik=neg_log_likelihood(params,~,~,R2,R3)
    % Negative log likelihood assuming normal distribution
    % Cirresponidng to Equation 15 in Fujimori and Tokai 2001
    R0=sqrt(params(1)^2); % making sure R0 is positive
    SIG2=params(2); %Converting Sigma to Sigma Squared (STD to VARIANCE)
    K=params(3);%making sure K is positive
    a=(1/sqrt(2*pi)*exp(R2-R0/SIG2)/2);%lowecase phi mesh size 2
    b=1/2*(1+erf(K*(R2-R0/SIG2)/sqrt(2)));%capital case phi mesh size 2
    c=(1/sqrt(2*pi)*exp(R3-R0/SIG2)/2);%lowecase phi mesh size 3
    d=1/2*(1+erf(K*(R3-R0/SIG2)/sqrt(2)));%capital phi mesh size 3

    ps2=(2.*a.*b)./SIG2;

    ps3=(2.*c.*d)./SIG2;
    loglik=-sum(c(:,2).*log(ps2./(ps2+ps3))+c(:,3).*log(ps3./(ps2+ps3)));%Negative of equation 15
    end

Thanks!

[Matt J]

Try executing this

neg_log_likelihood([1,1,1],c,p2,R2,R3)

and tell us the result.

[Duncan Lilley]

This error can occur when the objective function produces a NaN output. Try executing the command Matt suggested to see what is produced by your "neg_log_likelihood" function.

To resolve this, edit the function so that it does not produce NaN values, or set constraints on the function's inputs to prevent the objective function from producing NaN outputs.