arXiv subjects

Cynthia Vinzant

Publications and source records attributed to Cynthia Vinzant.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Log-Concave Polynomials I: Entropy and a Deterministic Approximation Algorithm for Counting Bases of Matroids

We give a deterministic polynomial time $2^{O(r)}$-approximation algorithm for the number of bases of a given matroid of rank $r$ and the number of common bases of any two matroids of rank $r$. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first nontrivial deterministic approximation algorithm that works for arbitrary matroids. Based on a lower bound of Azar, Broder, and Frieze [ABF94] this is almost the best possible result assuming oracle access to independent sets of the matroid. There are two main ingredients in our result: For the first, we build upon recent results of Adiprasito, Huh, and Katz [AHK15] and Huh and Wang [HW17] on combinatorial hodge theory to derive a connection between matroids and log-concave polynomials. We expect that several new applications in approximation algorithms will be derived from this connection in future. Formally, we prove that the multivariate generating polynomial of the bases of any matroid is log-concave as a function over the positive orthant. For the second ingredient, we develop a general framework for approximate counting in discrete problems, based on convex optimization. The connection goes through subadditivity of the entropy. For matroids, we prove that an approximate superadditivity of the entropy holds by relying on the log-concavity of the corresponding polynomials.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2018

Log-Concave Polynomials III: Mason's Ultra-Log-Concavity Conjecture for Independent Sets of Matroids

We give a self-contained proof of the strongest version of Mason's conjecture, namely that for any matroid the sequence of the number of independent sets of given sizes is ultra log-concave. To do this, we introduce a class of polynomials, called completely log-concave polynomials, whose bivariate restrictions have ultra log-concave coefficients. At the heart of our proof we show that for any matroid, the homogenization of the generating polynomial of its independent sets is completely log-concave.

math.CO↗

arXiv2018

Generalized eigenvalue methods for Gaussian quadrature rules

A quadrature rule of a measure $μ$ on the real line represents a convex combination of finitely many evaluations at points, called nodes, that agrees with integration against $μ$ for all polynomials up to some fixed degree. In this paper, we present a bivariate polynomial whose roots parametrize the nodes of minimal quadrature rules for measures on the real line. We give two symmetric determinantal formulas for this polynomial, which translate the problem of finding the nodes to solving a generalized eigenvalue problem.

math.NA↗

arXiv2018

Gram Spectrahedra

Representations of nonnegative polynomials as sums of squares are central to real algebraic geometry and the subject of active research. The sum-of-squares representations of a given polynomial are parametrized by the convex body of positive semidefinite Gram matrices, called the Gram spectrahedron. This is a fundamental object in polynomial optimization and convex algebraic geometry. We summarize results on sums of squares that fit naturally into the context of Gram spectrahedra, present some new results, and highlight related open questions. We discuss sum-of-squares representations of minimal length and relate them to Hermitian Gram spectrahedra and point evaluations on toric varieties.

math.AG↗

arXiv2017

Low-Rank Sum-of-Squares Representations on Varieties of Minimal Degree

A celebrated result by Hilbert says that every real nonnegative ternary quartic is a sum of three squares. We show more generally that every nonnegative quadratic form on a real projective variety $X$ of minimal degree is a sum of $\dim(X)+1$ squares of linear forms. This strengthens one direction of a recent result due to Blekherman, Smith, and Velasco. Our upper bound is the best possible, and it implies the existence of low-rank factorizations of positive semidefinite bivariate matrix polynomials and representations of biforms as sums of few squares. We determine the number of equivalence classes of sum-of-squares representations of general quadratic forms on surfaces of minimal degree, generalizing the count for ternary quartics by Powers, Reznick, Scheiderer, and Sottile.

math.AG↗

arXiv2016

The Chow form of a reciprocal linear space

A reciprocal linear space is the image of a linear space under coordinate-wise inversion. These fundamental varieties describe the analytic centers of hyperplane arrangements and appear as part of the defining equations of the central path of a linear program. Their structure is controlled by an underlying matroid. This provides a large family of hyperbolic varieties, recently introduced by Shamovich and Vinnikov. Here we give a definite determinantal representation to the Chow form of a reciprocal linear space. One consequence is the existence of symmetric rank-one Ulrich sheaves on reciprocal linear spaces. Another is a representation of the entropic discriminant as a sum of squares. For generic linear spaces, the determinantal formulas obtained are closely related to the Laplacian of the complete graph and generalizations to simplicial matroids. This raises interesting questions about the combinatorics of hyperbolic varieties and connections with the positive Grassmannian.

math.AG↗

arXiv2016

Computing complex and real tropical curves using monodromy

Tropical varieties capture combinatorial information about how coordinates of points in a classical variety approach zero or infinity. We present algorithms for computing the rays of a complex and real tropical curve defined by polynomials with constant coefficients. These algorithms rely on homotopy continuation, monodromy loops, and Cauchy integrals. Several examples are presented which are computed using an implementation that builds on the numerical algebraic geometry software Bertini.

math.AG↗

arXiv2015

Computing Hermitian determinantal representations of hyperbolic curves

Every real hyperbolic form in three variables can be realized as the determinant of a linear net of Hermitian matrices containing a positive definite matrix. Such representations are an algebraic certificate for the hyperbolicity of the polynomial and their existence has been proved in several different ways. However, the resulting algorithms for computing determinantal representations are computationally intensive. In this note, we present an algorithm that reduces a large part of the problem to linear algebra and discuss its numerical implementation.

math.AG↗

arXiv2015

A small frame and a certificate of its injectivity

We present a complex frame of eleven vectors in 4-space and prove that it defines injective measurements. That is, any rank-one $4\times 4$ Hermitian matrix is uniquely determined by its values as a Hermitian form on this collection of eleven vectors. This disproves a recent conjecture of Bandeira, Cahill, Mixon, and Nelson. We use algebraic computations and certificates in order to prove injectivity.

math.FA↗

arXiv2014

Quartic Spectrahedra

Quartic spectrahedra in 3-space form a semialgebraic set of dimension 24. This set is stratified by the location of its ten nodes. There are twenty maximal strata, identified recently by Degtyarev and Itenberg, via the global Torelli Theorem for real K3 surfaces. We here give a new proof that is self-contained and algorithmic. This involves extending Cayley's characterization of quartic symmetroids, by the property that the branch locus of the projection from a node consists of two cubic curves. This paper represents a first step towards the classification of all spectrahedra of a given degree and dimension.

math.OC↗

arXiv2014

A real stable extension of the Vamos matroid polynomial

In 2004, Choe, Oxley, Sokal and Wagner established a tight connection between matroids and multiaffine real stable polynomials. Recently, Branden used this theory and a polynomial coming from the Vamos matroid to disprove the generalized Lax conjecture. Here we present a 10-element extension of the Vamos matroid and prove that its basis generating polynomial is real stable (i.e. that the matroid has the half-plane property). We do this via large sums of squares computations and a criterion for real stability given by Wagner and Wei. Like the Vamos matroid, this matroid is not representable over any field and no power of its basis generating polynomial can be written as the determinant of a linear matrix with positive semidefinite Hermitian forms.

math.CO↗

arXiv2013

An algebraic characterization of injectivity in phase retrieval

A complex frame is a collection of vectors that span $\mathbb{C}^M$ and define measurements, called intensity measurements, on vectors in $\mathbb{C}^M$. In purely mathematical terms, the problem of phase retrieval is to recover a complex vector from its intensity measurements, namely the modulus of its inner product with these frame vectors. We show that any vector is uniquely determined (up to a global phase factor) from $4M-4$ generic measurements. To prove this, we identify the set of frames defining non-injective measurements with the projection of a real variety and bound its dimension.

math.FA↗

arXiv2013

Hyperbolic polynomials, interlacers, and sums of squares

Hyperbolic polynomials are real polynomials whose real hypersurfaces are nested ovaloids, the inner most of which is convex. These polynomials appear in many areas of mathematics, including optimization, combinatorics and differential equations. Here we investigate the special connection between a hyperbolic polynomial and the set of polynomials that interlace it. This set of interlacers is a convex cone, which we write as a linear slice of the cone of nonnegative polynomials. In particular, this allows us to realize any hyperbolicity cone as a slice of the cone of nonnegative polynomials. Using a sums of squares relaxation, we then approximate a hyperbolicity cone by the projection of a spectrahedron. A multiaffine example coming from the Vamos matroid shows that this relaxation is not always exact. Using this theory, we characterize the real stable multiaffine polynomials that have a definite determinantal representation and construct one when it exists.

math.AG↗

arXiv2013

Computing Linear Matrix Representations of Helton-Vinnikov Curves

Helton and Vinnikov showed that every rigidly convex curve in the real plane bounds a spectrahedron. This leads to the computational problem of explicitly producing a symmetric (positive definite) linear determinantal representation for a given curve. We study three approaches to this problem: an algebraic approach via solving polynomial equations, a geometric approach via contact curves, and an analytic approach via theta functions. These are explained, compared, and tested experimentally for low degree instances.

math.AG↗

arXiv2013

The Entropic Discriminant

The entropic discriminant is a non-negative polynomial associated to a matrix. It arises in contexts ranging from statistics and linear programming to singularity theory and algebraic geometry. It describes the complex branch locus of the polar map of a real hyperplane arrangement, and it vanishes when the equations defining the analytic center of a linear program have a complex double root. We study the geometry of the entropic discriminant, and we express its degree in terms of the characteristic polynomial of the underlying matroid. Singularities of reciprocal linear spaces play a key role. In the corank-one case, the entropic discriminant admits a sum of squares representation derived from the discriminant of a characteristic polynomial of a symmetric matrix.

math.AG↗

arXiv2012

Determinantal representations of hyperbolic plane curves: An elementary approach

If a real symmetric matrix of linear forms is positive definite at some point, then its determinant is a hyperbolic hypersurface. In 2007, Helton and Vinnikov proved a converse in three variables, namely that every hyperbolic plane curve has a definite real symmetric determinantal representation. The goal of this paper is to give a more concrete proof of a slightly weaker statement. Here we show that every hyperbolic plane curve has a definite determinantal representation with Hermitian matrices. We do this by relating the definiteness of a matrix to the real topology of its minors and extending a construction of Dixon from 1902. Like Helton and Vinnikov's theorem, this implies that every hyperbolic region in the plane is defined by a linear matrix inequality.

math.AG↗

arXiv2011

The central curve in linear programming

The central curve of a linear program is an algebraic curve specified by linear and quadratic constraints arising from complementary slackness. It is the union of the various central paths for minimizing or maximizing the cost function over any region in the associated hyperplane arrangement. We determine the degree, arithmetic genus and defining prime ideal of the central curve, thereby answering a question of Bayer and Lagarias. These invariants, along with the degree of the Gauss image of the curve, are expressed in terms of the matroid of the input matrix. Extending work of Dedieu, Malajovich and Shub, this yields an instance-specific bound on the total curvature of the central path, a quantity relevant for interior point methods. The global geometry of central curves is studied in detail.

math.OC↗

arXiv2011

Edges of the Barvinok-Novik orbitope

Here we study the k^th symmetric trigonometric moment curve and its convex hull, the Barvinok-Novik orbitope. In 2008, Barvinok and Novik introduce these objects and show that there is some threshold so that for two points on S^1 with arclength below this threshold, the line segment between their lifts on the curve form an edge on the Barvinok-Novik orbitope and for points with arclenth above this threshold, their lifts do not form an edge. They also give a lower bound for this threshold and conjecture that this bound is tight. Results of Smilansky prove tightness for k=2. Here we prove this conjecture for all k.

math.CO↗