arXiv subjects

Henry Cohn

Publications and source records attributed to Henry Cohn.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Sparse exchangeable graphs and their limits via graphon processes

In a recent paper, Caron and Fox suggest a probabilistic model for sparse graphs which are exchangeable when associating each vertex with a time parameter in $\mathbb{R}_+$. Here we show that by generalizing the classical definition of graphons as functions over probability spaces to functions over $σ$-finite measure spaces, we can model a large family of exchangeable graphs, including the Caron-Fox graphs and the traditional exchangeable dense graphs as special cases. Explicitly, modelling the underlying space of features by a $σ$-finite measure space $(S,\mathcal{S},μ)$ and the connection probabilities by an integrable function $W\colon S\times S\to [0,1]$, we construct a random family $(G_t)_{t\geq 0}$ of growing graphs such that the vertices of $G_t$ are given by a Poisson point process on $S$ with intensity $tμ$, with two points $x,y$ of the point process connected with probability $W(x,y)$. We call such a random family a graphon process. We prove that a graphon process has convergent subgraph frequencies (with possibly infinite limits) and that, in the natural extension of the cut metric to our setting, the sequence converges to the generating graphon. We also show that the underlying graphon is identifiable only as an equivalence class over graphons with cut distance zero. More generally, we study metric convergence for arbitrary (not necessarily random) sequences of graphs, and show that a sequence of graphs has a convergent subsequence if and only if it has a subsequence satisfying a property we call uniform regularity of tails. Finally, we prove that every graphon is equivalent to a graphon on $\mathbb{R}_+$ equipped with Lebesgue measure.

math.PR↗

arXiv2018

The Gaussian core model in high dimensions

We prove lower bounds for energy in the Gaussian core model, in which point particles interact via a Gaussian potential. Under the potential function $t \mapsto e^{-αt^2}$ with $0 < α< 4π/e$, we show that no point configuration in $\mathbf{R}^n$ of density $ρ$ can have energy less than $(ρ+o(1))(π/α)^{n/2}$ as $n \to \infty$ with $α$ and $ρ$ fixed. This lower bound asymptotically matches the upper bound of $ρ(π/α)^{n/2}$ obtained as the expectation in the Siegel mean value theorem, and it is attained by random lattices. The proof is based on the linear programming bound, and it uses an interpolation construction analogous to those used for the Beurling-Selberg extremal problem in analytic number theory. In the other direction, we prove that the upper bound of $ρ(π/α)^{n/2}$ is no longer asymptotically sharp when $α> πe$. As a consequence of our results, we obtain bounds in $\mathbf{R}^n$ for the minimal energy under inverse power laws $t \mapsto 1/t^{n+s}$ with $s>0$, and these bounds are sharp to within a constant factor as $n \to \infty$ with $s$ fixed.

math.MG↗

arXiv2018

Identifiability for graphexes and the weak kernel metric

In two recent papers by Veitch and Roy and by Borgs, Chayes, Cohn, and Holden, a new class of sparse random graph processes based on the concept of graphexes over $σ$-finite measure spaces has been introduced. In this paper, we introduce a metric for graphexes that generalizes the cut metric for the graphons of the dense theory of graph convergence. We show that a sequence of graphexes converges in this metric if and only if the sequence of graph processes generated by the graphexes converges in distribution. In the course of the proof, we establish a regularity lemma and determine which sets of graphexes are precompact under our metric. Finally, we establish an identifiability theorem, characterizing when two graphexes are equivalent in the sense that they lead to the same process of random graphs.

math.PR↗

arXiv2017

Which groups are amenable to proving exponent two for matrix multiplication?

The Cohn-Umans group-theoretic approach to matrix multiplication suggests embedding matrix multiplication into group algebra multiplication, and bounding $ω$ in terms of the representation theory of the host group. This framework is general enough to capture the best known upper bounds on $ω$ and is conjectured to be powerful enough to prove $ω= 2$, although finding a suitable group and constructing such an embedding has remained elusive. Recently it was shown, by a generalization of the proof of the Cap Set Conjecture, that abelian groups of bounded exponent cannot prove $ω= 2$ in this framework, which ruled out a family of potential constructions in the literature. In this paper we study nonabelian groups as potential hosts for an embedding. We prove two main results: (1) We show that a large class of nonabelian groups---nilpotent groups of bounded exponent satisfying a mild additional condition---cannot prove $ω= 2$ in this framework. We do this by showing that the shrinkage rate of powers of the augmentation ideal is similar to the shrinkage rate of the number of functions over $(\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z})^n$ that are degree $d$ polynomials; our proof technique can be seen as a generalization of the polynomial method used to resolve the Cap Set Conjecture. (2) We show that symmetric groups $S_n$ cannot prove nontrivial bounds on $ω$ when the embedding is via three Young subgroups---subgroups of the form $S_{k_1} \times S_{k_2} \times \dotsb \times S_{k_\ell}$---which is a natural strategy that includes all known constructions in $S_n$. By developing techniques for negative results in this paper, we hope to catalyze a fruitful interplay between the search for constructions proving bounds on $ω$ and methods for ruling them out.

math.GR↗

arXiv2017

Optimality and uniqueness of the Leech lattice among lattices

We prove that the Leech lattice is the unique densest lattice in R^24. The proof combines human reasoning with computer verification of the properties of certain explicit polynomials. We furthermore prove that no sphere packing in R^24 can exceed the Leech lattice's density by a factor of more than 1+1.65*10^(-30), and we give a new proof that E_8 is the unique densest lattice in R^8.

math.MG↗

arXiv2017

On cap sets and the group-theoretic approach to matrix multiplication

In 2003, Cohn and Umans described a framework for proving upper bounds on the exponent $ω$ of matrix multiplication by reducing matrix multiplication to group algebra multiplication, and in 2005 Cohn, Kleinberg, Szegedy, and Umans proposed specific conjectures for how to obtain $ω=2$. In this paper we rule out obtaining $ω=2$ in this framework from abelian groups of bounded exponent. To do this we bound the size of tricolored sum-free sets in such groups, extending the breakthrough results of Croot, Lev, Pach, Ellenberg, and Gijswijt on cap sets. As a byproduct of our proof, we show that a variant of tensor rank due to Tao gives a quantitative understanding of the notion of unstable tensor from geometric invariant theory.

math.CO↗

arXiv2017

Metacommutation of Hurwitz primes

Conway and Smith introduced the operation of metacommutation for pairs of primes in the ring of Hurwitz integers in the quaternions. We study the permutation induced on the primes of norm p by a prime of norm q under metacommutation, where p and q are distinct rational primes. In particular, we show that the sign of this permutation is the quadratic character of q modulo p.

math.NT↗

arXiv2016

Formal duality and generalizations of the Poisson summation formula

We study the notion of formal duality introduced by Cohn, Kumar, and Schürmann in their computational study of energy-minimizing particle configurations in Euclidean space. In particular, using the Poisson summation formula we reformulate formal duality as a combinatorial phenomenon in finite abelian groups. We give new examples related to Gauss sums and make some progress towards classifying formally dual configurations.

math.NT↗

arXiv2016

A conceptual breakthrough in sphere packing

This expository paper describes Viazovska's breakthrough solution of the sphere packing problem in eight dimensions, as well as its extension to twenty-four dimensions by Cohn, Kumar, Miller, Radchenko, and Viazovska.

math.MG↗

arXiv2016

Packing, coding, and ground states

These are the lecture notes from my 2014 PCMI graduate summer school lectures. In these lectures, we'll study simple models of materials from several different perspectives: geometry (packing problems), information theory (error-correcting codes), and physics (ground states of interacting particle systems). These perspectives each shed light on some of the same problems and phenomena, while highlighting different techniques and connections. One noteworthy phenomenon is the exceptional symmetry that is found in certain special cases, and we'll examine when and why it occurs. The overall theme of the lectures is thus order vs. disorder. How much symmetry can we expect to see in optimal geometric structures?

math.MG↗

arXiv2016

Some properties of optimal functions for sphere packing in dimensions 8 and 24

We study some sequences of functions of one real variable and conjecture that they converge uniformly to functions with certain positivity and growth properties. Our conjectures imply a conjecture of Cohn and Elkies, which in turn implies the complete solution to the sphere packing problem in dimensions 8 and 24. We give numerical evidence for these conjectures as well as some arithmetic properties of the hypothetical limiting functions. The conjectures are of greatest interest in dimension 24, in light of Viazovska's recent solution to the Cohn-Elkies conjecture (and consequently the sphere packing problem) in dimension 8.

math.MG↗

arXiv2016

Consistent nonparametric estimation for heavy-tailed sparse graphs

We study graphons as a non-parametric generalization of stochastic block models, and show how to obtain compactly represented estimators for sparse networks in this framework. Our algorithms and analysis go beyond previous work in several ways. First, we relax the usual boundedness assumption for the generating graphon and instead treat arbitrary integrable graphons, so that we can handle networks with long tails in their degree distributions. Second, again motivated by real-world applications, we relax the usual assumption that the graphon is defined on the unit interval, to allow latent position graphs where the latent positions live in a more general space, and we characterize identifiability for these graphons and their underlying position spaces. We analyze three algorithms. The first is a least squares algorithm, which gives an approximation we prove to be consistent for all square-integrable graphons, with errors expressed in terms of the best possible stochastic block model approximation to the generating graphon. Next, we analyze a generalization based on the cut norm, which works for any integrable graphon (not necessarily square-integrable). Finally, we show that clustering based on degrees works whenever the underlying degree distribution is atomless. Unlike the previous two algorithms, this third one runs in polynomial time.

math.ST↗

arXiv2015

Optimal simplices and codes in projective spaces

We find many tight codes in compact spaces, i.e., optimal codes whose optimality follows from linear programming bounds. In particular, we show the existence (and abundance) of several hitherto unknown families of simplices in quaternionic projective spaces and the octonionic projective plane. The most noteworthy cases are 15-point simplices in HP^2 and 27-point simplices in OP^2, both of which are the largest simplices and the smallest 2-designs possible in their respective spaces. These codes are all universally optimal, by a theorem of Cohn and Kumar. We also show the existence of several positive-dimensional families of simplices in the Grassmannians of subspaces of R^n with n <= 8; close numerical approximations to these families had been found by Conway, Hardin, and Sloane, but no proof of existence was known. Our existence proofs are computer-assisted, and the main tool is a variant of the Newton-Kantorovich theorem. This effective implicit function theorem shows, in favorable conditions, that every approximate solution to a set of polynomial equations has a nearby exact solution. Finally, we also exhibit a few explicit codes, including a configuration of 39 points in OP^2 that form a maximal system of mutually unbiased bases. This is the last tight code in OP^2 whose existence had been previously conjectured but not resolved.

math.MG↗

arXiv2014

An $L^p$ theory of sparse graph convergence I: limits, sparse random graph models, and power law distributions

We introduce and develop a theory of limits for sequences of sparse graphs based on $L^p$ graphons, which generalizes both the existing $L^\infty$ theory of dense graph limits and its extension by Bollobás and Riordan to sparse graphs without dense spots. In doing so, we replace the no dense spots hypothesis with weaker assumptions, which allow us to analyze graphs with power law degree distributions. This gives the first broadly applicable limit theory for sparse graphs with unbounded average degrees. In this paper, we lay the foundations of the $L^p$ theory of graphons, characterize convergence, and develop corresponding random graph models, while we prove the equivalence of several alternative metrics in a companion paper.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

Energy-minimizing error-correcting codes

We study a discrete model of repelling particles, and we show using linear programming bounds that many familiar families of error-correcting codes minimize a broad class of potential energies when compared with all other codes of the same size and block length. Examples of these universally optimal codes include Hamming, Golay, and Reed-Solomon codes, among many others, and this helps explain their robustness as the channel model varies. Universal optimality of these codes is equivalent to minimality of their binomial moments, which has been proved in many cases by Ashikhmin and Barg. We highlight connections with mathematical physics and the analogy between these results and previous work by Cohn and Kumar in the continuous setting, and we develop a framework for optimizing the linear programming bounds. Furthermore, we show that if these bounds prove a code is universally optimal, then the code remains universally optimal even if one codeword is removed.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

An $L^p$ theory of sparse graph convergence II: LD convergence, quotients, and right convergence

We extend the $L^p$ theory of sparse graph limits, which was introduced in a companion paper, by analyzing different notions of convergence. Under suitable restrictions on node weights, we prove the equivalence of metric convergence, quotient convergence, microcanonical ground state energy convergence, microcanonical free energy convergence, and large deviation convergence. Our theorems extend the broad applicability of dense graph convergence to all sparse graphs with unbounded average degree, while the proofs require new techniques based on uniform upper regularity. Examples to which our theory applies include stochastic block models, power law graphs, and sparse versions of $W$-random graphs.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

The impossibility of obfuscation with auxiliary input or a universal simulator

In this paper we show that the existence of general indistinguishability obfuscators conjectured in a few recent works implies, somewhat counterintuitively, strong impossibility results for virtual black box obfuscation. In particular, we show that indistinguishability obfuscation for all circuits implies: * The impossibility of average-case virtual black box obfuscation with auxiliary input for any circuit family with super-polynomial pseudo-entropy. Such circuit families include all pseudo-random function families, and all families of encryption algorithms and randomized digital signatures that generate their required coin flips pseudo-randomly. Impossibility holds even when the auxiliary input depends only on the public circuit family, and not the specific circuit in the family being obfuscated. * The impossibility of average-case virtual black box obfuscation with a universal simulator (with or without any auxiliary input) for any circuit family with super-polynomial pseudo-entropy. These bounds significantly strengthen the impossibility results of Goldwasser and Kalai (STOC 2005).

cs.CR↗

arXiv2013

Sphere packing bounds via spherical codes

The sphere packing problem asks for the greatest density of a packing of congruent balls in Euclidean space. The current best upper bound in all sufficiently high dimensions is due to Kabatiansky and Levenshtein in 1978. We revisit their argument and improve their bound by a constant factor using a simple geometric argument, and we extend the argument to packings in hyperbolic space, for which it gives an exponential improvement over the previously known bounds. Additionally, we show that the Cohn-Elkies linear programming bound is always at least as strong as the Kabatiansky-Levenshtein bound; this result is analogous to Rodemich's theorem in coding theory. Finally, we develop hyperbolic linear programming bounds and prove the analogue of Rodemich's theorem there as well.

math.MG↗