arXiv subjects

Theo McKenzie

Publications and source records attributed to Theo McKenzie.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The Bethe-Hessian down to the Percolation Threshold

The Bethe-Hessian is a symmetric matrix for which the negative spectrum has been observed to encode the informative structure of sparse stochastic block models. We prove that, in the stochastic block model where all vertices have expected degree $d>1$, the number of negative eigenvalues of the Bethe-Hessian is exactly the number predicted by the eigenvalues of the planted model lying outside the bulk spectrum. The condition $d>1$ is optimal, and matches a regime in which existing spectral approaches based on larger non-Hermitian matrices apply. Our result extends a theorem of Stephan and Zhu, who established the same conclusion under the assumption $d\geq 2$. Our improvement relies on two main ideas. First, we construct test vectors on the $2$-core, where degree fluctuations are substantially smaller, and then extend them to the entire graph while controlling the quadratic form. Second, we construct the test vectors using an isotropic basis of the underlying Markov random field, with coefficients adapted to each relevant planted eigenvalue. This allows us to control the fluctuations of the test vectors throughout the sparse regime.

math.ST↗

arXiv2026

The Gaussian Wave for Graphs of Finite Cone Type

We show that for any infinite tree of finite cone type satisfying a mild expansion condition, the only typical process on its vertices with covariance induced by the Green's function is the Gaussian wave. This generalizes a result of Backhausz and Szegedy, who proved this for the infinite regular tree of degree $d\geq 3$. We do this by giving a reduction to a statement concerning the distribution of the inner product of our process with columns of the Green's function, which in turn are straightforward to calculate. As a consequence, for random bipartite biregular graphs, the distribution of local neighborhoods of eigenvectors must approximate the Gaussian wave. Moreover, for generic configuration models including random lifts, the local distribution of a uniformly chosen eigenvector from any arbitrarily small spectral window likewise converges to the Gaussian wave.

math.PR↗

arXiv2025

Ramanujan Property and Edge Universality of Random Regular Graphs

We consider the normalized adjacency matrix of a random $d$-regular graph on $N$ vertices with any fixed degree $d\geq 3$ and denote its eigenvalues as $λ_1=d/\sqrt{d-1}\geq λ_2\geqλ_3\cdots\geq λ_N$. We establish the following two results as $N\rightarrow \infty$. (i) With high probability, all eigenvalues are optimally rigid, up to an additional $N^{{\rm o}(1)}$ factor. Specifically, the fluctuations of bulk eigenvalues are bounded by $N^{-1+{\rm o}(1)}$, and the fluctuations of edge eigenvalues are bounded by $N^{-2/3+{\rm o}(1)}$. (ii) Edge universality holds for random $d$-regular graphs. That is, the distributions of $λ_2$ and $-λ_N$ converge to the Tracy-Widom$_1$ distribution associated with the Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble. As a consequence, for sufficiently large $N$, approximately $69\%$ of $d$-regular graphs on $N$ vertices are Ramanujan, meaning $\max\{λ_2,|λ_N|\}\leq 2$.

math.PR↗

arXiv2024

Arbitrary Spectral Edge of Regular Graphs

We prove that for each $d\geq 3$ and $k\geq 2$, the set of limit points of the first $k$ eigenvalues of sequences of $d$-regular graphs is \[ \{(\mu_1,\dots,\mu_k): d=\mu_1\geq \dots\geq \mu_{k}\geq2\sqrt{d-1}\}. \] The result for $k=2$ was obtained by Alon and Wei, and our result confirms a conjecture of theirs. Our proof uses an infinite random graph sampled from a distribution that generalizes the random regular graph distribution. To control the spectral behavior of this infinite object, we show that Huang and Yau's proof of Friedman's theorem bounding the second eigenvalue of a random regular graph generalizes to this model. We also bound the trace of the non-backtracking operator, as was done in Bordenave's separate proof of Friedman's theorem.

math.SP↗

arXiv2024

Optimal Eigenvalue Rigidity of Random Regular Graphs

Consider the normalized adjacency matrices of random $d$-regular graphs on $N$ vertices with fixed degree $d\geq 3$, and denote the eigenvalues as $λ_1=d/\sqrt{d-1}\geq λ_2\geqλ_3\cdots\geq λ_N$. We prove that the optimal (up to an extra $N^{{\rm o}_N(1)}$ factor, where ${\rm o}_N(1)$ can be arbitrarily small) eigenvalue rigidity holds. More precisely, denote $γ_i$ as the classical location of the $i$-th eigenvalue under the Kesten-Mckay law in decreasing order. Then with probability $1-N^{-1+{\rm o}_N(1)}$, \begin{align*} |λ_i-γ_i|\leq \frac{N^{{\rm o}_N(1)}}{N^{2/3} (\min\{i,N-i+1\})^{1/3}},\quad \text{ for all } i\in \{2,3,\cdots,N\}. \end{align*} In particular, the fluctuations of extreme eigenvalues are bounded by $N^{-2/3+{\rm o}_N(1)}$. This gives the same order of fluctuation as for the eigenvalues of matrices from the Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble.

math.PR↗

arXiv2024

Explicit two-sided unique-neighbor expanders

We study the problem of constructing explicit sparse graphs that exhibit strong vertex expansion. Our main result is the first two-sided construction of imbalanced unique-neighbor expanders, meaning bipartite graphs where small sets contained in both the left and right bipartitions exhibit unique-neighbor expansion, along with algebraic properties relevant to constructing quantum codes. Our constructions are obtained from instantiations of the tripartite line product of a large tripartite spectral expander and a sufficiently good constant-sized unique-neighbor expander, a new graph product we defined that generalizes the line product in the work of Alon and Capalbo and the routed product in the work of Asherov and Dinur. To analyze the vertex expansion of graphs arising from the tripartite line product, we develop a sharp characterization of subgraphs that can arise in bipartite spectral expanders, generalizing results of Kahale, which may be of independent interest. By picking appropriate graphs to apply our product to, we give a strongly explicit construction of an infinite family of $(d_1,d_2)$-biregular graphs $(G_n)_{n\ge 1}$ (for large enough $d_1$ and $d_2$) where all sets $S$ with fewer than a small constant fraction of vertices have $Ω(d_1\cdot |S|)$ unique-neighbors (assuming $d_1 \leq d_2$). Additionally, we can also guarantee that subsets of vertices of size up to $\exp(Ω(\sqrt{\log |V(G_n)|}))$ expand losslessly.

math.CO↗

arXiv2023

Nodal decompositions of a symmetric matrix

Analyzing nodal domains is a way to discern the structure of eigenvectors of operators on a graph. We give a new definition extending the concept of nodal domains to arbitrary signed graphs, and therefore to arbitrary symmetric matrices. We show that for an arbitrary symmetric matrix, a positive fraction of eigenbases satisfy a generalized version of known nodal bounds for un-signed (that is classical) graphs. We do this through an explicit decomposition. Moreover, we show that with high probability, the number of nodal domains of a bulk eigenvector of the adjacency matrix of signed a Erdős-Rényi graph is $Ω(n/\log n)$ and $o(n)$.

math-ph↗

arXiv2023

The Spectral Edge of Constant Degree Erdős-Rényi Graphs

We show that for an Erdős-Rényi graph on $N$ vertices with expected degree $d$ satisfying $\log^{-1/9}N\leq d\leq \log^{1/40}N$, the largest eigenvalues can be precisely determined by small neighborhoods around vertices of close to maximal degree. Moreover, under the added condition that $d\geq\log^{-1/15}N$, the corresponding eigenvectors are localized, in that the mass of the eigenvector decays exponentially away from the high degree vertex. This dependence on local neighborhoods implies that the edge eigenvalues converge to a Poisson point process. These theorems extend a result of Alt, Ducatez, and Knowles, who showed the same behavior for $d$ satisfying $(\log\log N)^4\ll d\leq (1-o_{N}(1))\frac{1}{\log 4-1}\log N$. To achieve high accuracy in the constant degree regime, instead of attempting to guess an approximate eigenvector of a local neighborhood, we analyze the true eigenvector of a local neighborhood, and show it must be localized and depend on local geometry.

math.PR↗

arXiv2023

Support of Closed Walks and Second Eigenvalue Multiplicity of the Normalized Adjacency Matrix

We show that the multiplicity of the second normalized adjacency matrix eigenvalue of any connected graph of maximum degree $Δ$ is bounded by $O(n Δ^{7/5}/\log^{1/5-o(1)}n)$ for any $Δ$, and by $O(n\log^{1/2}d/\log^{1/4-o(1)}n)$ for simple $d$-regular graphs when $d\ge \log^{1/4}n$. In fact, the same bounds hold for the number of eigenvalues in any interval of width $λ_2/\log_Δ^{1-o(1)}n$ containing the second eigenvalue $λ_2$. The main ingredient in the proof is a polynomial (in $k$) lower bound on the typical support of a closed random walk of length $2k$ in any connected graph, which in turn relies on new lower bounds for the entries of the Perron eigenvector of submatrices of the normalized adjacency matrix.

math.CO↗

arXiv2021

Many nodal domains in random regular graphs

Let $G$ be a random $d$-regular graph. We prove that for every constant $α> 0$, with high probability every eigenvector of the adjacency matrix of $G$ with eigenvalue less than $-2\sqrt{d-2}-α$ has $Ω(n/$polylog$(n))$ nodal domains.

math.PR↗

arXiv2021

The necessity of conditions for graph quantum ergodicity and Cartesian products with an infinite graph

Anantharaman and Le Masson proved that any family of eigenbases of the adjacency operators of a family of graphs is quantum ergodic (a form of delocalization) assuming the graphs satisfy conditions of expansion and high girth. In this paper, we show that neither of these two conditions is sufficient by itself to necessitate quantum ergodicity. We also show that having conditions of expansion and a specific relaxation of the high girth constraint present in later papers on quantum ergodicity is not sufficient. We do so by proving new properties of the Cartesian product of two graphs where one is infinite.

math-ph↗

arXiv2021

High-girth near-Ramanujan graphs with lossy vertex expansion

Kahale proved that linear sized sets in $d$-regular Ramanujan graphs have vertex expansion $\sim\frac{d}{2}$ and complemented this with construction of near-Ramanujan graphs with vertex expansion no better than $\frac{d}{2}$. However, the construction of Kahale encounters highly local obstructions to better vertex expansion. In particular, the poorly expanding sets are associated with short cycles in the graph. Thus, it is natural to ask whether high-girth Ramanujan graphs have improved vertex expansion. Our results are two-fold: 1. For every $d = p+1$ for prime $p$ and infinitely many $n$, we exhibit an $n$-vertex $d$-regular graph with girth $Ω(\log_{d-1} n)$ and vertex expansion of sublinear sized sets bounded by $\frac{d+1}{2}$ whose nontrivial eigenvalues are bounded in magnitude by $2\sqrt{d-1}+O\left(\frac{1}{\log n}\right)$. 2. In any Ramanujan graph with girth $C\log n$, all sets of size bounded by $n^{0.99C/4}$ have vertex expansion $(1-o_d(1))d$. The tools in analyzing our construction include the nonbacktracking operator of an infinite graph, the Ihara--Bass formula, a trace moment method inspired by Bordenave's proof of Friedman's theorem, and a method of Kahale to study dispersion of eigenvalues of perturbed graphs.

math.CO↗

arXiv2019

A New Algorithm for the Robust Semi-random Independent Set Problem

In this paper, we study a general semi-random version of the planted independent set problem in a model initially proposed by Feige and Kilian, which has a large proportion of adversarial edges. We give a new deterministic algorithm that finds a list of independent sets, one of which, with high probability, is the planted one, provided that the planted set has size $k=Ω(n^{2/3})$. This improves on Feige and Kilian's original randomized algorithm, which with high probability recovers an independent set of size at least $k$ when $k=αn$ where $α$ is a constant.

cs.DS↗