arXiv subjects

Brandon Robinson

Publications and source records attributed to Brandon Robinson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Learning Topological Features of $\widehat Z$-invariants

Machine learning and data analysis techniques have recently emerged as powerful tools for identifying patterns and formulating conjectures in mathematical research, most notably in the field of low-dimensional topology. In this paper, we initiate a systematic approach to handling mathematical data structured as (truncated) infinite $q$-series, or equivalently, infinite series of integers. To apply this data analysis pipeline, we construct a comprehensive dataset of $\widehat{Z}$-invariants (homological blocks) for plumbed 3-manifolds. We demonstrate that neural networks can reliably extract essential topological information, such as homology class and underlying graph structure, directly from the $q$-series coefficients. A central feature of our methodology is a focus on interpretability; by contrasting local gradient sensitivity with global feature relevance, we reveal that the networks learn to bypass complex topological rules in favor of specific spectral and geometric proxies. Finally, we apply this pipeline to probe homology cobordism, discovering a high-accuracy predictive relationship between the $\widehat{Z}$-invariant exponents and the Heegaard Floer $d$-invariant (correction term). These results suggest that $\widehat{Z}$-invariants capture subtle geometric information regarding cobordism equivalences, warranting a new direction for the study of quantum invariants.

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arXiv2026

A Tale of Two Compact Bosons

Neural network field theory (NN-FT) defines a field theory by a network architecture together with a probability density on its latent variables. For compact theories the local Gaussian sector is only part of the story: one must also sum over discrete topological sectors. We review a mixed continuous/discrete latent-variable construction and apply it to two compact bosons. For the Berezinskii--Kosterlitz--Thouless transition, a random Fourier feature spin-wave sampler supplemented by an explicit Coulomb gas vortex sector reproduces the Gaussian critical line below $T_c$, vortex proliferation above $T_c$, the essential singularity of the correlation length, and the Nelson--Kosterlitz jump. For the bosonic string, oscillator modes augmented by momentum--winding labels reproduce circle T-duality, Buscher transformations on constant toroidal backgrounds, self-dual current algebra enhancement, and a toy T-fold. The common lesson is that the same local neural sampler, paired with different discrete topological data, yields physically distinct compact theories. These proceedings are based on arXiv:2604.02313.

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arXiv2026

Topological Effects in Neural Network Field Theory

Neural network field theory formulates field theory as a statistical ensemble of fields defined by a network architecture and a density on its parameters. We extend the construction to topological settings via the inclusion of discrete parameters that label the topological quantum number. We recover the Berezinskii--Kosterlitz--Thouless transition, including the spin-wave critical line and the proliferation of vortices at high temperatures. We also verify the T-duality of the bosonic string, showing invariance under the exchange of momentum and winding on $S^1$, the transformation of the sigma model couplings according to the Buscher rules on constant toroidal backgrounds, the enhancement of the current algebra at self-dual radius, and non-geometric T-fold transition functions.

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arXiv2025

Virasoro Symmetry in Neural Network Field Theories

Neural Network Field Theories (NN-FTs) typically describe Generalized Free Fields that lack a local stress-energy tensor in two dimensions, obstructing the realization of Virasoro symmetry. We present the ``Log-Kernel'' (LK) architecture, which enforces local conformal symmetry via a specific rotation-invariant spectral prior $p(k) \propto |k|^{-2}$. We analytically derive the emergence of the Virasoro algebra from the statistics of the neural ensemble. We validate this construction through numerical simulation, computing the central charge $c_{exp} = 0.9958 \pm 0.0196$ (theoretical $c=1$) and confirming the scaling dimensions of vertex operators. Furthermore, we demonstrate that finite-width corrections generate interactions scaling as $1/N$. Finally, we extend the framework to include fermions and boundary conditions, realizing the super-Virasoro algebra. We verify the $\mathcal{N}=1$ super-Virasoro algebra by measuring the supercurrent correlator to $96\%$ accuracy. We further demonstrate conformal boundary conditions on the upper half-plane, achieving 99\% agreement for boundary fermion and boson propagators.

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arXiv2025

Conformal Defects in Neural Network Field Theories

Neural Network Field Theories (NN-FTs) represent a novel construction of arbitrary field theories, including those of conformal fields, through the specification of the network architecture and prior distribution for the network parameters. In this work, we present a formalism for the construction of conformally invariant defects in these NN-FTs. We demonstrate this new formalism in two toy models of NN scalar field theories. We develop an NN interpretation of an expansion akin to the defect OPE in two-point correlation functions in these models.

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arXiv2025

New punctures for six-dimensional compactifications

Six-dimensional superconformal field theories (SCFTs) give rise to four-dimensional (4d) ones when compactified on Riemann surfaces. In the $\mathcal{N}=(2,0)$ case, this yields the famous class S family. For $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ theories that arise from linear unitary quivers, the holographic duals of the 4d theories are known in massive IIA supergravity, but only without punctures. Working in the probe approximation, we identify all possible BPS punctures in these models and characterize them by computing their defect Weyl anomalies. For class S, our results reproduce the known expressions in the appropriate limit. In the more general $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ case, they predict new 4d SCFTs and their large-$N$ anomaly coefficients.

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arXiv2024

Superconformal anomalies for string defects in six-dimensional $\mathcal{N} = (1,0)$ SCFTs

We study the anomalies of two-dimensional BPS defects in six-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ superconformal field theories. Using a holographic description of these defects furnished by probe D4-branes in AdS${}_7$ solutions of ten-dimensional type IIA supergravity, we compute the two independent defect Weyl anomalies from the on-shell action for a spherical defect and defect sphere entanglement entropy. We find agreement between the holographic prediction for the defect A-type anomaly coming from the defect sphere free energy and the leading large $N$ contribution to the defect `t Hooft anomaly found using anomaly inflow. We also find agreement between the holographic computation of the expectation value of a surface operator wrapping a torus and the supersymmetric localization computation for a circular Wilson loop in $\mathcal{N}=1$ super Yang-Mills theory on $S^5$. Lastly, we holographically compute the defect gravitational anomaly from the Wess-Zumino action of the probe D4-brane, which provides a subleading large $N$ correction to the defect A-type anomaly.

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arXiv2024

From Large to Small $\mathcal{N}=(4,4)$ Superconformal Surface Defects in Holographic 6d SCFTs

Two-dimensional (2d) $\mathcal{N}=(4,4)$ Lie superalgebras can be either "small" or "large", meaning their R-symmetry is either $\mathfrak{so}(4)$ or $\mathfrak{so}(4) \oplus \mathfrak{so}(4)$, respectively. Both cases admit a superconformal extension and fit into the one-parameter family $\mathfrak{d}\left(2,1;\gamma\right)\oplus \mathfrak{d}\left(2,1;\gamma\right)$, with parameter $\gamma \in (-\infty,\infty)$. The large algebra corresponds to generic values of $\gamma$, while the small case corresponds to a degeneration limit with $\gamma \to -\infty$. In 11d supergravity, we study known solutions with superisometry algebra $\mathfrak{d}\left(2,1;\gamma\right)\oplus \mathfrak{d}\left(2,1;\gamma\right)$ that are asymptotically locally AdS$_7 \times S^4$. These solutions are holographically dual to the 6d maximally superconformal field theory with 2d superconformal defects invariant under $\mathfrak{d}\left(2,1;\gamma\right)\oplus \mathfrak{d}\left(2,1;\gamma\right)$. We show that a limit of these solutions, in which $\gamma \to -\infty$, reproduces another known class of solutions, holographically dual to small $\mathcal{N}=(4,4)$ superconformal defects. We then use this limit to generate new small $\mathcal{N}=(4,4)$ solutions with finite Ricci scalar, in contrast to the known small $\mathcal{N}=(4,4)$ solutions. We then use holography to compute the entanglement entropy of a spherical region centered on these small $\mathcal{N}=(4,4)$ defects, which provides a linear combination of defect Weyl anomaly coefficients that characterizes the number of defect-localized degrees of freedom. We also comment on the generalization of our results to include $\mathcal{N}=(0,4)$ surface defects through orbifolding.

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arXiv2023

Holographic Weyl Anomalies for 4d Defects in 6d SCFTs

In this note, we study $1/4$- and $1/2$-BPS co-dimension two superconformal defects in the $6d$ $\mathcal{N}=(2,0)$ $A_{N-1}$ SCFT at large $N$ using their holographic descriptions as solutions of $11d$ supergravity. In this regime, we are able to compute the defect contribution to the sphere entanglement entropy and the change in the stress-energy tensor one-point function due to the presence of the defect using holography. From these quantities, we are then able to unambiguously compute the values for two of the twenty-nine total Weyl anomaly coefficients that characterize $4d$ conformal defects in six and higher dimensions. We are able to demonstrate the consistency of the supergravity description of the defect theories with the average null energy condition on the field theory side. For each class of defects that we consider, we also show that the A-type Weyl anomaly coefficient is non-negative. Lastly, we uncover and resolve a discrepancy between the on-shell action of the $7d$ $1/4$-BPS domain wall solutions and that of their $11d$ uplift.

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arXiv2023

Sparse Bayesian neural networks for regression: Tackling overfitting and computational challenges in uncertainty quantification

Neural networks (NNs) are primarily developed within the frequentist statistical framework. Nevertheless, frequentist NNs lack the capability to provide uncertainties in the predictions, and hence their robustness can not be adequately assessed. Conversely, the Bayesian neural networks (BNNs) naturally offer predictive uncertainty by applying Bayes' theorem. However, their computational requirements pose significant challenges. Moreover, both frequentist NNs and BNNs suffer from overfitting issues when dealing with noisy and sparse data, which render their predictions unwieldy away from the available data space. To address both these problems simultaneously, we leverage insights from a hierarchical setting in which the parameter priors are conditional on hyperparameters to construct a BNN by applying a semi-analytical framework known as nonlinear sparse Bayesian learning (NSBL). We call our network sparse Bayesian neural network (SBNN) which aims to address the practical and computational issues associated with BNNs. Simultaneously, imposing a sparsity-inducing prior encourages the automatic pruning of redundant parameters based on the automatic relevance determination (ARD) concept. This process involves removing redundant parameters by optimally selecting the precision of the parameters prior probability density functions (pdfs), resulting in a tractable treatment for overfitting. To demonstrate the benefits of the SBNN algorithm, the study presents an illustrative regression problem and compares the results of a BNN using standard Bayesian inference, hierarchical Bayesian inference, and a BNN equipped with the proposed algorithm. Subsequently, we demonstrate the importance of considering the full parameter posterior by comparing the results with those obtained using the Laplace approximation with and without NSBL.

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arXiv2023

A Bayesian model calibration framework for stochastic compartmental models with both time-varying and time-invariant parameters

We consider state and parameter estimation for compartmental models having both time-varying and time-invariant parameters. Though the described Bayesian computational framework is general, we look at a specific application to the susceptible-infectious-removed (SIR) model which describes a basic mechanism for the spread of infectious diseases through a system of coupled nonlinear differential equations. The SIR model consists of three states, namely, the three compartments, and two parameters which control the coupling among the states. The deterministic SIR model with time-invariant parameters has shown to be overly simplistic for modelling the complex long-term dynamics of diseases transmission. Recognizing that certain model parameters will naturally vary in time due to seasonal trends, non-pharmaceutical interventions, and other random effects, the estimation procedure must systematically permit these time-varying effects to be captured, without unduly introducing artificial dynamics into the system. To this end, we leverage the robustness of the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm for the estimation of time-invariant parameters alongside nonlinear filters for the joint estimation of the system state and time-varying parameters. We demonstrate performance of the framework by first considering a series of examples using synthetic data, followed by an exposition on public health data collected in the province of Ontario.

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arXiv2023

Exploring hierarchical framework of nonlinear sparse Bayesian learning algorithm through numerical investigations

Sparse Bayesian learning (SBL) has been extensively utilized in data-driven modeling to combat the issue of overfitting. While SBL excels in linear-in-parameter models, its direct applicability is limited in models where observations possess nonlinear relationships with unknown parameters. Recently, a semi-analytical Bayesian framework known as nonlinear sparse Bayesian learning (NSBL) was introduced by the authors to induce sparsity among model parameters during the Bayesian inversion of nonlinear-in-parameter models. NSBL relies on optimally selecting the hyperparameters of sparsity-inducing Gaussian priors. It is inherently an approximate method since the uncertainty in the hyperparameter posterior is disregarded as we instead seek the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate of the hyperparameters (type-II MAP estimate). This paper aims to investigate the hierarchical structure that forms the basis of NSBL and validate its accuracy through a comparison with a one-level hierarchical Bayesian inference as a benchmark in the context of three numerical experiments: (i) a benchmark linear regression example with Gaussian prior and Gaussian likelihood, (ii) the same regression problem with a highly non-Gaussian prior, and (iii) an example of a dynamical system with a non-Gaussian prior and a highly non-Gaussian likelihood function, to explore the performance of the algorithm in these new settings. Through these numerical examples, it can be shown that NSBL is well-suited for physics-based models as it can be readily applied to models with non-Gaussian prior distributions and non-Gaussian likelihood functions. Moreover, we illustrate the accuracy of the NSBL algorithm as an approximation to the one-level hierarchical Bayesian inference and its ability to reduce the computational cost while adequately exploring the parameter posteriors.

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arXiv2022

Boundaries in Free Higher Derivative Conformal Field Theories

We consider free higher derivative theories of scalars and Dirac fermions in the presence of a boundary in general dimension. We establish a method for finding consistent conformal boundary conditions in these theories by removing certain boundary primaries from the spectrum. A rich set of renormalization group flows between various conformal boundary conditions is revealed, triggered by deformations quadratic in the boundary primaries. We compute the free energy of these theories on a hemisphere, and show that the boundary $a$-theorem is generally violated along boundary flows as a consequence of bulk non-unitarity. We further characterize the boundary theory by computing the two-point function of the displacement operator.

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arXiv2022

Encoding nonlinear and unsteady aerodynamics of limit cycle oscillations using nonlinear sparse Bayesian learning

This paper investigates the applicability of a recently-proposed nonlinear sparse Bayesian learning (NSBL) algorithm to identify and estimate the complex aerodynamics of limit cycle oscillations. NSBL provides a semi-analytical framework for determining the data-optimal sparse model nested within a (potentially) over-parameterized model. This is particularly relevant to nonlinear dynamical systems where modelling approaches involve the use of physics-based and data-driven components. In such cases, the data-driven components, where analytical descriptions of the physical processes are not readily available, are often prone to overfitting, meaning that the empirical aspects of these models will often involve the calibration of an unnecessarily large number of parameters. While it may be possible to fit the data well, this can become an issue when using these models for predictions in regimes that are different from those where the data was recorded. In view of this, it is desirable to not only calibrate the model parameters, but also to identify the optimal compromise between data-fit and model complexity. In this paper, this is achieved for an aeroelastic system where the structural dynamics are well-known and described by a differential equation model, coupled with a semi-empirical aerodynamic model for laminar separation flutter resulting in low-amplitude limit cycle oscillations. For the purpose of illustrating the benefit of the algorithm, in this paper, we use synthetic data to demonstrate the ability of the algorithm to correctly identify the optimal model and model parameters, given a known data-generating model. The synthetic data are generated from a forward simulation of a known differential equation model with parameters selected so as to mimic the dynamics observed in wind-tunnel experiments.

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arXiv2022

Robust Bayesian state and parameter estimation framework for stochastic dynamical systems with combined time-varying and time-invariant parameters

We consider state and parameter estimation for a dynamical system having both time-varying and time-invariant parameters. It has been shown that the robustness of the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm for estimating time-invariant parameters alongside nonlinear filters for state estimation provided more reliable estimates than the estimates obtained solely using nonlinear filters for combined state and parameter estimation. In a similar fashion, we adopt the extended Kalman filter (EKF) for state estimation and the estimation of the time-varying system parameters, but reserve the task of estimating time-invariant parameters to the MCMC algorithm. In a standard method, we augment the state vector to include the original states of the system and the subset of the parameters that are time-varying. Each time-varying parameter is perturbed by a white noise process, and we treat the strength of this artificial noise as an additional time-invariant parameter to be estimated by MCMC, circumventing the need for manual tuning. Conventionally, both time-varying and time-invariant parameters are appended in the state vector, and thus for the purpose of estimation, both are free to vary in time. However, allowing time-invariant system parameters to vary in time introduces artificial dynamics into the system, which we avoid by treating these time-invariant parameters as static and estimating them using MCMC. Furthermore, by estimating the time-invariant parameters by MCMC, the augmented state is smaller and the nonlinearity in the ensuing state space model will tend to be weaker than in the conventional approach. We illustrate the above-described approach for a simple dynamical system in which some model parameters are time-varying, while the remaining parameters are time-invariant.

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arXiv2022

Scalable Computational Algorithms for Geo-spatial Covid-19 Spread in High Performance Computing

A nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) based compartmental model of COVID-19 provides a continuous trace of infection over space and time. Finer resolutions in the spatial discretization, the inclusion of additional model compartments and model stratifications based on clinically relevant categories contribute to an increase in the number of unknowns to the order of millions. We adopt a parallel scalable solver allowing faster solutions for these high fidelity models. The solver combines domain decomposition and algebraic multigrid preconditioners at multiple levels to achieve the desired strong and weak scalability. As a numerical illustration of this general methodology, a five-compartment susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered-deceased (SEIRD) model of COVID-19 is used to demonstrate the scalability and effectiveness of the proposed solver for a large geographical domain (Southern Ontario). It is possible to predict the infections up to three months for a system size of 92 million (using 1780 processes) within 7 hours saving months of computational effort needed for the conventional solvers.

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arXiv2021

Weyl Anomalies of Four Dimensional Conformal Boundaries and Defects

Motivated by questions about quantum information and classification of quantum field theories, we consider Conformal Field Theories (CFTs) in spacetime dimension $d\geq 5$ with a conformally-invariant spatial boundary (BCFTs) or $4$-dimensional conformal defect (DCFTs). We determine the boundary or defect contribution to the Weyl anomaly using the standard algorithm, which includes imposing Wess-Zumino consistency and fixing finite counterterms. These boundary/defect contributions are built from the intrinsic and extrinsic curvatures, as well as the pullback of the ambient CFT's Weyl tensor. For a co-dimension one boundary or defect (i.e. $d=5$), we reproduce the $9$ parity-even terms found by Astaneh and Solodukhin, and we discover $3$ parity-odd terms. For larger co-dimension, we find $23$ parity-even terms and $6$ parity-odd terms. The coefficient of each term defines a "central charge" that characterizes the BCFT or DCFT. We show how several of the parity-even central charges enter physical observables, namely the displacement operator two-point function, the stress-tensor one-point function, and the universal part of the entanglement entropy. We compute several parity-even central charges in tractable examples: monodromy and conical defects of free, massless scalars and Dirac fermions in $d=6$; probe branes in Anti-de Sitter (AdS) space dual to defects in CFTs with $d \geq 6$; and Takayanagi's AdS/BCFT with $d=5$. We demonstrate that several of our examples obey the boundary/defect $a$-theorem, as expected.

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arXiv2021

Islands in Multiverse Models

We consider multiverse models in two-dimensional linear dilaton-gravity theories as toy models of false vacuum eternal inflation. Coupling conformal matter we calculate the Von Neumann entropy of subregions. When these are sufficiently large we find that an island develops covering most of the rest of the multiverse, leading to a Page-like transition. This resonates with a description of multiverse models in semiclassical quantum cosmology, where a measure for local predictions is given by saddle point geometries which coarse-grain over any structure associated with eternal inflation beyond one's patch.

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