arXiv subjects

Pascal Koiran

Publications and source records attributed to Pascal Koiran.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Polynomial Bounds on Degeneration Order from Commutativity Properties of Tensor Slices

A tensor has border rank at most $r$ if it can be written as $T=\lim_{\varepsilon \rightarrow 0} T(\varepsilon)$ where $T(\varepsilon)$ has rank at most $r$ for all sufficiently small $\varepsilon$. It is known that the map $\varepsilon \mapsto T(\varepsilon)$ can be assumed to be a (tensor valued) polynomial in $\varepsilon$. The smallest possible degree of such a map is called the error degree of $T$. The error degree and the related notion of order of degeneration are the two key quantities that we study in this paper. One motivation comes from debordering: by polynomial interpolation on the map $\varepsilon \mapsto T(\varepsilon)$ we can upper bound the tensor rank of $T$. For order 3 tensors, exponential upper bounds on the error degree and degeneration order were given almost 40 years ago in (Lehmkuhl Lickteig, 1989) and were not improved ever since. In this paper we give bounds that apply to a wide class of tensors, exponentially improving on (Lehmkuhl Lickteig, 1989). Our results are most general for tensors with 3 slices (format $m \times n \times 3$). In this case, our main assumption is on the rank of the matrix slices. We also give bounds that apply to arbitrary rectangular formats ($m \times n \times p$). In this case, we need an additional 1-regularity assumption on one of the slices of the tensor (recall that a matrix is said to be 1-regular if its eigenspaces are 1-dimensional). Under these assumptions we show that the error degree is at most 1, which yields a nontrivial debordering result (tensor rank at most $2r$ for border rank $r$). The results in (Lehmkuhl Lickteig, 1989) rely on an upper bound on the degree of the variety of tensors of border rank at most $r$. We rely instead on more specific properties of this algebraic variety, and in particular on commutativity properties of certain matrices derived from the tensor slices.

cs.CC↗

arXiv2025

Tensor decomposition beyond uniqueness, with an application to the minrank problem

We prove a generalization to Jennrich's uniqueness theorem for tensor decompositions in the undercomplete setting. Our uniqueness theorem is based on an alternative definition of the standard tensor decomposition, which we call matrix-vector decomposition. Moreover, in the same settings in which our uniqueness theorem applies, we also design and analyze an efficient randomized algorithm to compute the unique minimum matrix-vector decomposition (and thus a tensor rank decomposition of minimum rank). As an application of our uniqueness theorem and our efficient algorithm, we show how to compute all matrices of minimum rank (up to scalar multiples) in certain generic vector spaces of matrices.

cs.CC↗

arXiv2024

PT-symmetry in one-way wormholes

In a recent paper, we studied a modified version of the Einstein-Rosen bridge. This modified bridge is traversable and works as a one-way membrane: a particle on the first sheet falling toward the throat will reach it in finite time (in Eddington coordinates), and will continue its trajectory on the second sheet. In this paper, we show that the particle undergoes a PT-symmetry as it crosses the throat. This could lead to observable effects thanks to an additional ingredient proposed by Einstein and Rosen: congruent points on the two sheets are identified. We propose a bimetric model to realize this identification for our modified bridge.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

An efficient uniqueness theorem for overcomplete tensor decomposition

We give a new, constructive uniqueness theorem for tensor decomposition. It applies to order 3 tensors of format $n \times n \times p$ and can prove uniqueness of decomposition for generic tensors up to rank $r=4n/3$ as soon as $p \geq 4$. One major advantage over Kruskal's uniqueness theorem is that our theorem has an algorithmic proof, and the resulting algorithm is efficient. Like the uniqueness theorem, it applies in the range $n \leq r \leq 4n/3$. As a result, we obtain the first efficient algorithm for overcomplete decomposition of generic tensors of order 3. For instance, prior to this work it was not known how to efficiently decompose generic tensors of format $n \times n \times n$ and rank $r=1.01n$ (or rank $r \leq (1+\epsilon) n$, for some constant $\epsilon >0$). Efficient overcomplete decomposition of generic tensors of format $n \times n \times 3$ remains an open problem. Our results are based on the method of commuting extensions pioneered by Strassen for the proof of his $3n/2$ lower bound on tensor rank and border rank. In particular, we rely on an algorithm for the computation of commuting extensions recently proposed in a companion paper, and on the classical diagonalization-based "Jennrich algorithm" for undercomplete tensor decomposition. This is an updated version of a paper presented at SODA 2025. As a new result, we answer a question from that paper by giving a NP-hardness result for the computation of commuting extensions. The proof relies on a recent construction by Shitov. After the paper appearing in the SODA proceedings was written, another algorithm for the overcomplete decomposition of generic tensors of order~3 was proposed by Kothari, Moitra and Wein.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2024

Undercomplete Decomposition of Symmetric Tensors in Linear Time, and Smoothed Analysis of the Condition Number

We study symmetric tensor decompositions, i.e., decompositions of the form $T = \sum_{i=1}^r u_i^{\otimes 3}$ where $T$ is a symmetric tensor of order 3 and $u_i \in \mathbb{C}^n$.In order to obtain efficient decomposition algorithms, it is necessary to require additional properties from $u_i$. In this paper we assume that the $u_i$ are linearly independent.This implies $r \leq n$,that is, the decomposition of T is undercomplete. We give a randomized algorithm for the following problem in the exact arithmetic model of computation: Let $T$ be an order-3 symmetric tensor that has an undercomplete decomposition. Then given some $T'$ close to $T$, an accuracy parameter $\varepsilon$, and an upper bound B on the condition number of the tensor, output vectors $u'_i$ such that $||u_i - u'_i|| \leq \varepsilon$ (up to permutation and multiplication by cube roots of unity) with high probability. The main novel features of our algorithm are: 1) We provide the first algorithm for this problem that runs in linear time in the size of the input tensor. More specifically, it requires $O(n^3)$ arithmetic operations for all accuracy parameters $\varepsilon =$ 1/poly(n) and B = poly(n). 2) Our algorithm is robust, that is, it can handle inverse-quasi-polynomial noise (in $n$,B,$\frac{1}{\varepsilon}$) in the input tensor. 3) We present a smoothed analysis of the condition number of the tensor decomposition problem. This guarantees that the condition number is low with high probability and further shows that our algorithm runs in linear time, except for some rare badly conditioned inputs. Our main algorithm is a reduction to the complete case ($r=n$) treated in our previous work [Koiran,Saha,CIAC 2023]. For efficiency reasons we cannot use this algorithm as a blackbox. Instead, we show that it can be run on an implicitly represented tensor obtained from the input tensor by a change of basis.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2024

On the uniqueness and computation of commuting extensions

A tuple (Z_1,...,Z_p) of matrices of size r is said to be a commuting extension of a tuple (A_1,...,A_p) of matrices of size n <r if the Z_i pairwise commute and each A_i sits in the upper left corner of a block decomposition of Z_i. This notion was discovered and rediscovered in several contexts including algebraic complexity theory (in Strassen's work on tensor rank), in numerical analysis for the construction of cubature formulas and in quantum mechanics for the study of computational methods and the study of the so-called "quantum Zeno dynamics." Commuting extensions have also attracted the attention of the linear algebra community. In this paper we present 3 types of results: (i) Theorems on the uniqueness of commuting extensions for three matrices or more. (ii) Algorithms for the computation of commuting extensions of minimal size. These algorithms work under the same assumptions as our uniqueness theorems. They are applicable up to r=4n/3, and are apparently the first provably efficient algorithms for this problem applicable beyond r=n+1. (iii) A genericity theorem showing that our algorithms and uniqueness theorems can be applied to a wide range of input matrices.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2022

Complete Decomposition of Symmetric Tensors in Linear Time and Polylogarithmic Precision

We study symmetric tensor decompositions, i.e. decompositions of the input symmetric tensor T of order 3 as sum of r 3rd-order tensor powers of u_i where u_i are vectors in \C^n. In order to obtain efficient decomposition algorithms, it is necessary to require additional properties from the u_i. In this paper we assume that the u_i are linearly independent. This implies that r is at most n, i.e., the decomposition of T is undercomplete. We will moreover assume that r=n (we plan to extend this work to the case where r is strictly less than n in a forthcoming paper). We give a randomized algorithm for the following problem: given T, an accuracy parameter epsilon, and an upper bound B on the condition number of the tensor, output vectors u'_i such that u_i and u'_i differ by at most epsilon (in the l_2 norm and up to permutation and multiplication by phases) with high probability. The main novel features of our algorithm are: (1) We provide the first algorithm for this problem that works in the computation model of finite arithmetic and requires only poly-logarithmic (in n, B and 1/epsilon) many bits of precision. (2) Moreover, this is also the first algorithm that runs in linear time in the size of the input tensor. It requires O(n^3) arithmetic operations for all accuracy parameters epsilon = 1/poly(n).

cs.DS↗

arXiv2021

Black Box Absolute Reconstruction for Sums of Powers of Linear Forms

We study the decomposition of multivariate polynomials as sums of powers of linear forms. We give a randomized algorithm for the following problem: If a homogeneous polynomial $f \in K[x_1 , . . . , x_n]$ (where $K \subseteq \mathbb{C}$) of degree $d$ is given as a blackbox, decide whether it can be written as a linear combination of $d$-th powers of linearly independent complex linear forms. The main novel features of the algorithm are: (1) For $d = 3$, we improve by a factor of $n$ on the running time from an algorithm by Koiran and Skomra. The price to be paid for this improvement though is that the algorithm now has two-sided error. (2) For $d > 3$, we provide the first randomized blackbox algorithm for this problem that runs in time polynomial in $n$ and $d$ (in an algebraic model where only arithmetic operations and equality tests are allowed). Previous algorithms for this problem as well as most of the existing reconstruction algorithms for other classes appeal to a polynomial factorization subroutine. This requires extraction of complex polynomial roots at unit cost and in standard models such as the unit-cost RAM or the Turing machine this approach does not yield polynomial time algorithms. (3) For $d > 3$, when $f$ has rational coefficients, the running time of the blackbox algorithm is polynomial in $n,d$ and the maximal bit size of any coefficient of $f$. This yields the first algorithm for this problem over $\mathbb{C}$ with polynomial running time in the bit model of computation.

cs.CC↗

arXiv2021

Infall time in the Eddington-Finkelstein metric, with application to Einstein-Rosen bridges

The Eddington-Finkelstein metric is obtained from the Schwarzschild metric by a change of the time variable. It is well known that a test mass falling into a black hole does not reach the event horizon for any finite value of the Schwarzschild time variable $t$. By contrast, we show that the event horizon is reached for a finite value of the Eddington-Finkelstein time variable $t'$. Then we study in Eddington-Finkelstein time the fate of a massive particle traversing an Einstein-Rosen bridge and obtain a different conclusion than recent proposals in the literature: we show that the particle reaches the wormhole throat for a finite value $t'_1$ of the time marker $t'$, and continues its trajectory across the throat for $t'>t'_1$. Such a behavior does not make sense in Schwarzschild time since it would amount to continuing the trajectory of the particle "beyond the end of time."

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

On tensor rank and commuting matrices

Obtaining superlinear lower bounds on tensor rank is a major open problem in complexity theory. In this paper we propose a generalization of the approach used by Strassen in the proof of his 3n/2 border rank lower bound. Our approach revolves around a problem on commuting matrices: Given matrices Z_1,...,Z_p of size n and an integer r>n, are there commuting matrices Z'_1,...,Z'_p of size r such that every Z_k is embedded as a submatrix in the top-left corner of Z'_k? As one of our main results, we show that this question always has a positive answer for r larger than rank(T)+n, where T denotes the tensor with slices Z_1,..,Z_p. Taking the contrapositive, if one can show for some specific matrices Z_1,...,Z_p and a specific integer r that this question has a negative answer, this yields the lower bound rank(T) > r-n. There is a little bit of slack in the above rank(T)+n bound, but we also provide a number of exact characterizations of tensor rank and symmetric rank, for ordinary and symmetric tensors, over the fields of real and complex numbers. Each of these characterizations points to a corresponding variation on the above approach. In order to explain how Strassen's theorem fits within this framework we also provide a self-contained proof of his lower bound.

cs.CC↗

arXiv2019

Derandomization and absolute reconstruction for sums of powers of linear forms

We study the decomposition of multivariate polynomials as sums of powers of linear forms. As one of our main results we give an algorithm for the following problem: given a homogeneous polynomial of degree 3, decide whether it can be written as a sum of cubes of linearly independent linear forms with complex coefficients. Compared to previous algorithms for the same problem, the two main novel features of this algorithm are: (i) It is an algebraic algorithm, i.e., it performs only arithmetic operations and equality tests on the coefficients of the input polynomial. In particular, it does not make any appeal to polynomial factorization. (ii) For an input polynomial with rational coefficients, the algorithm runs in polynomial time when implemented in the bit model of computation. The algorithm relies on methods from linear and multilinear algebra (symmetric tensor decomposition by simultaneous diagonalization). We also give a version of our algorithm for decomposition over the field of real numbers. In this case, the algorithm performs arithmetic operations and comparisons on the input coefficients. Finally we give several related derandomization results on black box polynomial identity testing, the minimization of the number of variables in a polynomial, the computation of Lie algebras and factorization into products of linear forms.

cs.CC↗

arXiv2019

Orthogonal tensor decomposition and orbit closures from a linear algebraic perspective

We study orthogonal decompositions of symmetric and ordinary tensors using methods from linear algebra. For the field of real numbers we show that the sets of decomposable tensors can be defined be equations of degree 2. This gives a new proof of some of the results of Robeva and Boralevi et al. Orthogonal decompositions over the field of complex numbers had not been studied previously; we give an explicit description of the set of decomposable tensors using polynomial equalities and inequalities, and we begin a study of their closures. The main open problem that arises from this work is to obtain a complete description of the closures. This question is akin to that of characterizing border rank of tensors in algebraic complexity. We give partial results using in particular a connection with approximate simultaneous diagonalization (the so-called "ASD property").

math.RA↗

arXiv2019

Intersection multiplicity of a sparse curve and a low-degree curve

Let $F(x, y) \in \mathbb{C}[x,y]$ be a polynomial of degree $d$ and let $G(x,y) \in \mathbb{C}[x,y]$ be a polynomial with $t$ monomials. We want to estimate the maximal multiplicity of a solution of the system $F(x,y) = G(x,y) = 0$. Our main result is that the multiplicity of any isolated solution $(a,b) \in \mathbb{C}^2$ with nonzero coordinates is no greater than $\frac{5}{2}d^2t^2$. We ask whether this intersection multiplicity can be polynomially bounded in the number of monomials of $F$ and $G$, and we briefly review some connections between sparse polynomials and algebraic complexity theory.

math.AG↗

arXiv2018

Orbits of monomials and factorization into products of linear forms

This paper is devoted to the factorization of multivariate polynomials into products of linear forms, a problem which has applications to differential algebra, to the resolution of systems of polynomial equations and to Waring decomposition (i.e., decomposition in sums of d-th powers of linear forms; this problem is also known as symmetric tensor decomposition). We provide three black box algorithms for this problem. Our main contribution is an algorithm motivated by the application to Waring decomposition. This algorithm reduces the corresponding factorization problem to simultaenous matrix diagonalization, a standard task in linear algebra. The algorithm relies on ideas from invariant theory, and more specifically on Lie algebras. Our second algorithm reconstructs a factorization from several bi-variate projections. Our third algorithm reconstructs it from the determination of the zero set of the input polynomial, which is a union of hyperplanes.

cs.CC↗

arXiv2017

Root Separation for Trinomials

We give a separation bound for the complex roots of a trinomial $f \in \mathbb{Z}[X]$. The logarithm of the inverse of our separation bound is polynomial in the size of the sparse encoding of $f$; in particular, it is polynomial in $\log (\deg f)$. It is known that no such bound is possible for 4-nomials (polynomials with 4 monomials). For trinomials, the classical results (which are based on the degree of $f$ rather than the number of monomials) give separation bounds that are exponentially worse.As an algorithmic application, we show that the number of real roots of a trinomial $f$ can be computed in time polynomial in the size of the sparse encoding of~$f$. The same problem is open for 4-nomials.

cs.SC↗

arXiv2017

On the linear independence of shifted powers

We call shifted power a polynomial of the form $(x-a)^e$. The main goal of this paper is to obtain broadly applicable criteria ensuring that the elements of a finite family $F$ of shifted powers are linearly independent or, failing that, to give a lower bound on the dimension of the space of polynomials spanned by $F$. In particular, we give simple criteria ensuring that the dimension of the span of $F$ is at least $c.|F|$ for some absolute constant $c<1$. We also propose conjectures implying the linear independence of the elements of $F$. These conjectures are known to be true for the field of real numbers, but not for the field of complex numbers.

math.AC↗

arXiv2016

Reconstruction Algorithms for Sums of Affine Powers

In this paper we study sums of powers of affine functions in (mostly) one variable. Although quite simple, this model is a generalization of two well-studied models: Waring decomposition and sparsest shift. For these three models there are natural extensions to several variables, but this paper is mostly focused on univariate polynomials. We present structural results which compare the expressive power of the three models; and we propose algorithms that find the smallest decomposition of f in the first model (sums of affine powers) for an input polynomial f given in dense representation. We also begin a study of the multivariate case. This work could be extended in several directions. In particular, just as for Sparsest Shift and Waring decomposition, one could consider extensions to "supersparse" polynomials and attempt a fuller study of the multi-variate case. We also point out that the basic univariate problem studied in the present paper is far from completely solved: our algorithms all rely on some assumptions for the exponents in an optimal decomposition, and some algorithms also rely on a distinctness assumption for the shifts. It would be very interesting to weaken these assumptions, or even to remove them entirely. Another related and poorly understood issue is that of the bit size of the constants appearing in an optimal decomposition: is it always polynomially related to the bit size of the input polynomial given in dense representation?

cs.CC↗

arXiv2016

On the complexity of partial derivatives

The method of partial derivatives is one of the most successful lower bound methods for arithmetic circuits. It uses as a complexity measure the dimension of the span of the partial derivatives of a polynomial. In this paper, we consider this complexity measure as a computational problem: for an input polynomial given as the sum of its nonzero monomials, what is the complexity of computing the dimension of its space of partial derivatives? We show that this problem is #P-hard and we ask whether it belongs to #P. We analyze the "trace method", recently used in combinatorics and in algebraic complexity to lower bound the rank of certain matrices. We show that this method provides a polynomial-time computable lower bound on the dimension of the span of partial derivatives, and from this method we derive closed-form lower bounds. We leave as an open problem the existence of an approximation algorithm with reasonable performance guarantees.A slightly shorter version of this paper was presented at STACS'17. In this new version we have corrected a typo in Section 4.1, and added a reference to Shitov's work on tensor rank.

cs.CC↗