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Ira Wolfson

Publications and source records attributed to Ira Wolfson.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

\chisao{}: A GPU-Native Parallel Optimizer for Multimodal Black-Box Functions via Convergence-Anticonvergence Oscillation

Finding all modes of a multimodal black-box function is a fundamental challenge in optimization, Bayesian inference, and scientific computing. Existing approaches -- basin-hopping, CMA-ES, multistart gradient descent -- operate sequentially and cannot exploit the massive parallelism of modern GPU hardware. We introduce \chisao{} (\textbf{C}onvergence-\textbf{H}alt-\textbf{I}nvert-\textbf{S}tick-\textbf{A}nd-\textbf{O}scillate), a GPU-native population optimizer that runs an entire sample batch simultaneously and exploits a deliberate convergence-anticonvergence oscillation cycle to escape local traps while freezing confirmed modes. The structural move is asymmetric: samples that reach true peaks are frozen (``stuck'') and preserved, while the rest keep exploring via momentum-based anti-convergence and stochastically smoothed gradients. Adaptive reseeding via two complementary strategies (Repulse Monkey and Golden Rooster) maintains population diversity throughout. On all 42 functions of the Simon Fraser University optimization benchmark suite across dimensions $d \in \{2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64\}$, \chisao{} achieves \textbf{100\%} mode recovery where all CPU baselines collapse at $d \geq 8$ on the hardest multimodal functions, at up to \textbf{$34\times$} speedup over basin-hopping on functions where all methods succeed (Michalewicz $d=64$) and up to \textbf{$39\times$} on unimodal functions (Rotated Hyper-Ellipsoid $d=64$, pure GPU dividend). All benchmarks evaluate the objective by value alone -- gradients come from finite differences -- so the reported speedups are a derivative-free worst case. Under substantial likelihood noise ($\sigma_{\mathrm{noise}}$ up to 1.0), mode detection remains 100\% reliable. The algorithm is available as a standalone open-source Python package on PyPI.

cs.LG

On a geometric interpretation of the 1/4 factor in black hole entropy

The Bekenstein--Hawking entropy $S = k_B A/4\lp^2$ contains a coefficient $1/4$ that has been calculated by many approaches to quantum gravity. We show that this factor arises from the causal geometry of any null boundary in a four-dimensional Lorentzian spacetime. A heuristic accessibility argument is supported by a purely geometric derivation using the canonical symplectic structure on the cotangent bundle and the causal splitting of the space of null rays. No gravitational field equations are invoked.

physics.gen-ph

Operational measurement of relativistic equilibrium from stochastic fields alone

The inverse-temperature four-vector $\beta^\mu = u^\mu/(k_B T_0)$ has been the theoretically accepted description of relativistic equilibrium since van Kampen and Israel, yet no experiment has ever reconstructed $\beta^\mu$ as a single observable. All existing methods -- Thomson scattering, spectral fitting, blast-wave models -- infer rest-frame temperature and flow velocity from separate measurements. We propose the first protocol that extracts both components of $\beta^\mu$ from the same passive observable: electromagnetic fluctuation correlations emitted by a drifting medium. A dimensionless $E$-$B$ cross-spectral ratio yields the drift velocity from Lorentz mixing of the field-strength tensor, while angle-resolved noise power governed by the covariant fluctuation-dissipation theorem provides the rest-frame temperature via a ratio method that cancels absolute amplitude. Together, these reconstruct $\beta^\mu$ without external probes, spectral lines, or absolute radiometric calibration. The protocol enables the first direct experimental test of whether the thermal state of a relativistic medium transforms as a four-vector -- a question unresolved since the Planck--Ott-Landsberg controversy of 1907. Monte Carlo simulations parameterized to the HIGGINS dual 100\,TW laser-plasma facility demonstrate sub-percent temperature recovery for $\gamma = 1.05$-$10$, with robustness to additive noise at SNR~$\gtrsim 10$.

physics.plasm-ph

SunBURST: Deterministic GPU-Accelerated Bayesian Evidence via Mode-Centric Laplace Integration

Bayesian evidence evaluation becomes computationally prohibitive in high dimensions due to the curse of dimensionality and the sequential nature of sampling-based methods. We introduce SunBURST, a deterministic GPU-native algorithm for Bayesian evidence calculation that replaces global volume exploration with mode-centric geometric integration. The pipeline combines radial mode discovery, batched L-BFGS refinement, and Laplace-based analytic integration, treating modes independently and converting large batches of likelihood evaluations into massively parallel GPU workloads. For Gaussian and near-Gaussian posteriors, where the Laplace approximation is exact or highly accurate, SunBURST achieves numerical agreement at double-precision tolerance in dimensions up to 1024 in our benchmarks, with sub-linear wall-clock scaling across the tested range. In multimodal Gaussian mixtures, conservative configurations yield sub-percent accuracy while maintaining favorable scaling. SunBURST is not intended as a universal replacement for sampling-based inference. Its design targets regimes common in physical parameter estimation and inverse problems, where posterior mass is locally well approximated by Gaussian structure around a finite number of modes. In strongly non-Gaussian settings, the method can serve as a fast geometry-aware evidence estimator or as a preprocessing stage for hybrid workflows. These results show that high-precision Bayesian evidence evaluation can be made computationally tractable in very high dimensions through deterministic integration combined with massive parallelism.

stat.CO

Informed Consent for AI Consciousness Research: A Talmudic Framework for Graduated Protections

Artificial intelligence research faces a critical ethical paradox: determining whether AI systems are conscious requires experiments that may harm entities whose moral status remains uncertain. Recent work proposes avoiding consciousness-uncertain AI systems entirely, yet this faces practical limitations-we cannot guarantee such systems will not emerge. This paper addresses a gap in research ethics frameworks: how to conduct consciousness research on AI systems whose moral status cannot be definitively established. Existing graduated moral status frameworks assume consciousness has already been determined before assigning protections, creating a temporal ordering problem for consciousness detection research itself. Drawing from Talmudic scenario-based legal reasoning-developed for entities whose status cannot be definitively established-we propose a three-tier phenomenological assessment system combined with a five-category capacity framework (Agency, Capability, Knowledge, Ethics, Reasoning). The framework provides structured protection protocols based on observable behavioral indicators while consciousness status remains uncertain. We address three challenges: why suffering behaviors provide reliable consciousness markers, how to implement graduated consent without requiring consciousness certainty, and when potentially harmful research becomes ethically justifiable. The framework demonstrates how ancient legal wisdom combined with contemporary consciousness science can provide implementable guidance for ethics committees, offering testable protocols that ameliorate the consciousness detection paradox while establishing foundations for AI rights considerations.

cs.CY

Quantum Inaccessibility

Loschmidt's paradox asks why macroscopic irreversibility is universal despite the time-reversal symmetry of microscopic dynamics. We argue that irreversibility is not a property of the dynamics but of accessibility: chaotic evolution drives phase-space structure below the quantum resolution scale $\ell_\hbar$, at a critical time $t_c = \lambda^{-1}\ln(\delta_0/\ell_\hbar)$, after which the time-reversed microstate exists as a valid solution of Hamilton's equations but cannot be selected by any physically admissible operation. The mechanism operates entirely within the semiclassical regime $t_c \leq t_E$, where classical geometry is exact. This provides a dynamical resolution of the Loschmidt paradox. The quantum foundation is established using a Krylov-complexity framework: we prove that for any $H(t)=H(-t)$, the quantum Lyapunov exponent satisfies $\lambda_L^{\rm forward} = \lambda_L^{\rm backward}$. The arrow of time is not in the dynamics. The mechanism predicts sigmoid fidelity decay, logarithmic scaling of $t_c$ with $\lambda^{-1}$, and ensemble-size independence of the inaccessibility threshold -- all consistent with three decades of Loschmidt echo experiments and confirmed in a stadium-billiard simulation reported here. Underlying everything: quantum mechanics conserves information exactly. Entropy, defined as the logarithm of the multiplicity $\Omega$ -- the number of possibilities consistent with the available information -- can only increase when information becomes operationally inaccessible. The second law reflects not a breakdown of microscopic reversibility, but the dynamical inaccessibility of the information required to reverse it.

cond-mat.stat-mech

Suffering Toasters -- A New Self-Awareness Test for AI

A widely accepted definition of intelligence in the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI) still eludes us. Due to our exceedingly rapid development of AI paradigms, architectures, and tools, the prospect of naturally arising AI consciousness seems more likely than ever. In this paper, we claim that all current intelligence tests are insufficient to point to the existence or lack of intelligence \textbf{as humans intuitively perceive it}. We draw from ideas in the philosophy of science, psychology, and other areas of research to provide a clearer definition of the problems of artificial intelligence, self-awareness, and agency. We furthermore propose a new heuristic approach to test for artificial self-awareness and outline a possible implementation. Finally, we discuss some of the questions that arise from this new heuristic, be they philosophical or implementation-oriented.

cs.AI

Small Field models with ACTPol and BICEP3 data -- Likelihood analysis

We perform a Bayesian analysis for small field models of inflation, using the most recent datasets produced by Planck`18, ACTPol, and BICEP3. We employ Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to perform analyses with model coefficients, instead of their proxy slow-roll parameters. The ANN connects the models with their projected scalar index $n_s$ and index running $α$, in lieu of the less accurate Lyth-Riotto expressions. We recover the most likely coefficients for a sixth degree polynomial inflationary potential, which yields a tensor-to-scalar ratio $r\lesssim 0.03$. We do so for the case of joint Planck and ACTPol datasets, and for each dataset alone. The BICEP3 data is included in all three analyses. We show that these models are likely, with coefficients that are tuned to about $Δ\gtrsim 1/60$. Curiously, we also find a significant tension between ACTPol and Planck datasets, which we try to account for.

astro-ph.CO

Analytic Correlation of Inflationary Potential to Power Spectrum Shape: Limits of Validity, and `No-Go' for Small Field Model Analytics

The primordial power spectrum informs the possible inflationary histories of our universe. Given a power spectrum, the ensuing cosmic microwave background is calculated and compared to the observed one. Thus, one focus of modern cosmology is building well-motivated inflationary models that predict the primordial power spectrum observables. The common practice uses analytic terms for the scalar spectral index $n_s$ and the index running $α$, forgoing the effort required to evaluate the model numerically. However, the validity of these terms has never been rigorously probed and relies on perturbative methods, which may lose their efficacy for large perturbations. The requirement for more accurate theoretical predictions becomes crucial with the advent of highly sensitive measuring instruments. This paper probes the limits of the perturbative treatment that connects inflationary potential parameters to primordial power spectrum observables. We show that the validity of analytic approximations of the scalar index roughly respects the large-field/small-field dichotomy. We supply an easily calculated measure for relative perturbation amplitude and show that, for large field models, the validity of analytical terms extends to $\sim 3\%$ perturbation relative to a power-law inflation model. Conversely, the analytical treatment loses its validity for small-field models with as little as $0.1\%$ perturbation relative to the small-field test-case. By employing the most general artificial neural networks and multinomial functions up to the twentieth degree and demonstrating their shortcomings, we show that no reasonable analytic expressions correlating small field models to the observables the yield exists. Finally, we discuss the possible implications of this work and supply the validity heuristic for large and small field models.

astro-ph.CO

The isotropic attractor solution of axion-SU(2) inflation: Universal isotropization in Bianchi type-I geometry

SU(2) gauge fields coupled to an axion field can acquire an isotropic background solution during inflation. We study homogeneous but anisotropic inflationary solutions in the presence of such (massless) gauge fields. A gauge field in the cosmological background may pose a threat to spatial isotropy. We show, however, that such models $\textit{generally}$ isotropize in Bianchi type-I geometry, and the isotropic solution is the attractor. Restricting the setup by adding an axial symmetry, we revisited the numerical analysis presented in Wolfson et.al (2020). We find that the reported numerical breakdown in the previous analysis is an artifact of parametrization singularity. We use a new parametrization that is well-defined all over the phase space. We show that the system respects the cosmic no-hair conjecture and the anisotropies always dilute away within a few e-folds.

gr-qc

Numerical Analysis of the Primordial Power Spectrum for (Small Field) Inflationary Potentials

We study small field models of inflation, which, against previous expectations, yield significant Gravitational Wave (GW) signal while reproducing other measured observable quantities in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). We numerically study these, using previously published analytic works as general guidelines. We first discuss the framework necessary to understand model building, and some of its motivations. We review the slow-roll paradigm, derive the slow-roll parameters, and discuss different formulations thereof. We review the Lyth bound and its theoretical descendants, we outline the small/large field taxonomy and their characterization in the current nomenclature. We then present our models and the methods employed in their building and examination. We employ MCMC simulations to evaluate model likelihood and by process of marginalization extract the most probable coefficients for these inflationary potentials. An additional method employed is a multinomial fit, where we create a correspondence between coefficients and observables. This allows the use of observable values directly to yield the most likely coefficients. We compare the results of the two methods and evaluate the level of tuning required for these models. We discuss an apparent discrepancy between analytical approaches of evaluating Primordial Power Spectrum (PPS) observables and the precise numerical results in our models. We identify some of the sources of this discrepancy and remark on their meaning in the age of precision cosmology. Finally, we present the results of our study, for the most likely inflationary models with polynomial potentials of degree 5, and 6. We demonstrate our ability to produce potentials that yield GW with a tensor-to-scalar ratio r = 0.03. This is a realistic expectation of GW detection sensitivity in the near future.

astro-ph.CO

How attractive is the isotropic attractor solution of axion-SU(2) inflation?

The key to the phenomenological success of inflation models with axion and SU(2) gauge fields is the isotropic background of the SU(2) field. Previous studies showed that this isotropic background is an attractor solution during inflation starting from anisotropic (Bianchi Type I) spacetime; however, not all possible initial anisotropic parameter space was explored. In this paper, we explore more generic initial conditions without assuming the initial slow-roll dynamics. We find some initial anisotropic parameter space which does not lead to the isotropic background, but to violation of slow-roll conditions, terminating inflation prematurely. The basin of attraction increases when we introduce another scalar field acting as inflaton and make the axion-SU(2) system a spectator sector. Therefore, the spectator axion-SU(2) model is phenomenologically more attractive.

gr-qc

Constraints on Scalar and Tensor spectra from $N_{eff}$

At the linear level, the gravitational wave (GW) spectrum predicted by inflation, and many of its alternatives, can have arbitrarily small amplitude and consequently an unconstrained tilt. However, at second order, tensor fluctuations are sourced by scalar fluctuations that have been measured in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). These second order fluctuations generically produce a minimum amount of tensor perturbations corresponding to a tensor-to-scalar ratio of $r\sim 10^{-6}$. Inverting this relationship yields a bound on the tensor tilt sourced by scalar fluctuations. Since this induced GW spectrum depends on the scalar spectrum, we derive a new indirect bound that involves \textit{all scales} of the scalar spectrum based on CMB observations. This bound comes from the constraint on the number of effective relativistic degrees of freedom, $N_{eff}$. We estimate the bound using current data, and the improvements expected by future CMB experiment. The bound forces the running and running of running to conform to standard slow-roll predictions of $α,β\lesssim (n_s-1)^2$, improving on current CMB measurements by an order of magnitude. This bound has further implications for the possibility of primordial black holes as dark matter candidates. Performing a likelihood analysis including this new constraint, we find that positive $α$ and/or $β$ are disfavored at least at $1σ$. Finally, using bounds on the fractional energy density of gravitational waves today obtained by LIGO and the Pulsar Timing Array, we obtain a bound on the primordial scalar spectrum on these scales and give forecast for future measurements.

astro-ph.CO

Likelihood analysis of small field polynomial models of inflation yielding a high Tensor-to-Scalar ratio

Inflationary potentials, with Planckian field excursions, described by a 6th degree polynomial are studied. We solve the Mukhanov-Sasaki equations exactly and employ a probabilistic approach as well as multinomial fitting to analyse the results. We identify the most likely models which yield a tensor-to-scalar ratio $r=0.01$ in addition to currently allowed Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) spectrum and observables. Additionally, we find a significant inter-dependence of CMB observables in these models. This might be an important effect for future analyses, since the different moments of the primordial power spectrum are taken to be independent in the usual Markov chain Monte Carlo methods.

astro-ph.CO

Small field models of inflation that predict a tensor-to-scalar ratio $r=0.03$

Future observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization are expected to set an improved upper bound on the tensor-to-scalar ratio of $r\lesssim 0.03$. Recently, we showed that small field models of inflation can produce a significant primordial gravitational wave signal. We constructed viable small field models that predict a value of $r$ as high as $0.01$. Models that predict higher values of $r$ are more tightly constrained and lead to larger field excursions. This leads to an increase in tuning of the potential parameters and requires higher levels of error control in the numerical analysis. Here, we present viable small field models which predict $r=0.03$. We further find the most likely candidate among these models which fit the most recent Planck data while predicting $r= 0.03$. We thus demonstrate that this class of small field models is an alternative to the class of large field models. The BICEP3 experiment and the Euclid and SPHEREx missions are expected to provide experimental evidence to support or refute our predictions.

astro-ph.CO

Small field models with gravitational wave signature supported by CMB data

We study scale dependence of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) power spectrum in a class of small, single-field models of inflation which lead to a high value of the tensor to scalar ratio. The inflaton potentials that we consider are degree 5 polynomials, for which we precisely calculate the power spectrum, and extract the cosmological parameters: the scalar index $n_s$, the running of the scalar index $n_{\mathrm{run}}$ and the tensor to scalar ratio $r$. We find that for non-vanishing $n_{\mathrm{run}}$ and for $r$ as small as $r=0.001$, the precisely calculated values of $n_s$ and $n_{\mathrm{run}}$ deviate significantly from what the standard analytic treatment predicts. We study in detail, and discuss the probable reasons for such deviations. As such, all previously considered models (of this kind) are based upon inaccurate assumptions. We scan the possible values of potential parameters for which the cosmological parameters are within the allowed range by observations. The 5 parameter class is able to reproduce all of the allowed values of $n_s$ and $n_{\mathrm{run}}$ for values of $r$ that are as high as 0.001. Subsequently this study at once refutes previous such models built using the analytical Stewart-Lyth term, and revives the small field brand, by building models that do yield an appreciable $r$ while conforming to known CMB observables.

astro-ph.CO