arXiv subjects

Ugo Boscain

Publications and source records attributed to Ugo Boscain.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

A bio-inspired geometric model for sound reconstruction

The reconstruction mechanisms built by the human auditory system during sound reconstruction are still a matter of debate. The purpose of this study is to propose a mathematical model of sound reconstruction based on the functional architecture of the auditory cortex (A1). The model is inspired by the geometrical modelling of vision, which has undergone a great development in the last ten years. There are however fundamental dissimilarities, due to the different role played by the time and the different group of symmetries. The algorithm transforms the degraded sound in an 'image' in the time-frequency domain via a short-time Fourier transform. Such an image is then lifted in the Heisenberg group and it is reconstructed via a Wilson-Cowan differo-integral equation. Preliminary numerical experiments are provided, showing the good reconstruction properties of the algorithm on synthetic sounds concentrated around two frequencies.

eess.AS↗

arXiv2020

Complete Controllability Despite Degeneracy: Quantum Control of Enantiomer-Specific State Transfer in Chiral Molecules

We prove complete controllability for rotational states of an asymmetric top molecule belonging to degenerate values of the orientational quantum number M. Based on this insight, we construct a pulse sequence that energetically separates population initially distributed over degenerate M-states, as a precursor for orientational purification. Introducing the concept of enantio-selective controllability, we determine the conditions for complete enantiomer-specific population transfer in chiral molecules and construct pulse sequences realizing this transfer for population initially distributed over degenerate M-states. This degeneracy presently limits enantiomer-selectivity for any initial state except the rotational ground state. Our work thus shows how to overcome an important obstacle towards separating, with electric fields only, left-handed from right-handed molecules in a racemic mixture.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

On the induced geometry on surfaces in 3D contact sub-Riemannian manifolds

Given a surface $S$ in a 3D contact sub-Riemannian manifold $M$, we investigate the metric structure induced on $S$ by $M$, in the sense of length spaces. First, we define a coefficient $\widehat K$ at characteristic points that determines locally the characteristic foliation of $S$. Next, we identify some global conditions for the induced distance to be finite. In particular, we prove that the induced distance is finite for surfaces with the topology of a sphere embedded in a tight coorientable distribution, with isolated characteristic points.

math.DG↗

arXiv2020

Stochastic processes on surfaces in three-dimensional contact sub-Riemannian manifolds

We are concerned with stochastic processes on surfaces in three-dimensional contact sub-Riemannian manifolds. Employing the Riemannian approximations to the sub-Riemannian manifold which make use of the Reeb vector field, we obtain a second order partial differential operator on the surface arising as the limit of Laplace-Beltrami operators. The stochastic process associated with the limiting operator moves along the characteristic foliation induced on the surface by the contact distribution. We show that for this stochastic process elliptic characteristic points are inaccessible, while hyperbolic characteristic points are accessible from the separatrices. We illustrate the results with examples and we identify canonical surfaces in the Heisenberg group, and in ${\rm SU}(2)$ and ${\rm SL}(2,\mathbb{R})$ equipped with the standard sub-Riemannian contact structures as model cases for this setting. Our techniques further allow us to derive an expression for an intrinsic Gaussian curvature of a surface in a general three-dimensional contact sub-Riemannian manifold.

math.PR↗

arXiv2019

An obstruction to small-time controllability of the bilinear Schr{ö}dinger equation

In this article we discuss which controllability properties of classical Hamiltonian systems are preserved after quantization. We discuss some necessary and some sufficient conditions for small-time controllability of classical systems and quantum systems using the WKB method. In particular, we investigate the conjecture that if the classical system is not small-time controllable, then the corresponding quantum system is not small-time controllable either.

math.OC↗

arXiv2019

Point interactions for 3D sub-Laplacians

In this paper we show that, for a sub-Laplacian $Δ$ on a $3$-dimensional manifold $M$, no point interaction centered at a point $q_0\in M$ exists. When $M$ is complete w.r.t. the associated sub-Riemannian structure, this means that $Δ$ acting on $C^\infty_0(M\setminus\{q_0\})$ is essentially self-adjoint. A particular example is the standard sub-Laplacian on the Heisenberg group. This is in stark contrast with what happens in a Riemannian manifold $N$, whose associated Laplace-Beltrami operator is never essentially self-adjoint on $C^\infty_0(N\setminus\{q_0\})$, if $\dim N\le 3$. We then apply this result to the Schrödinger evolution of a thin molecule, i.e., with a vanishing moment of inertia, rotating around its center of mass.

math.AP↗

arXiv2019

Extensions of Brownian motion to a family of Grushin-type singularities

We consider a one-parameter family of Grushin-type singularities on surfaces, and discuss the possible diffusions that extend Brownian motion to the singularity. This gives a quick proof and clear intuition for the fact that heat can only cross the singularity for an intermediate range of the parameter. When crossing is possible and the singularity consists of one point, we give a complete description of these diffusions, and we describe a "best" extension, which respects the isometry group of the surface and also realizes the unique symmetric one-point extension of the Brownian motion, in the sense of Chen-Fukushima. This extension, however, does not correspond to the bridging extension, which was introduced by Boscain-Prandi, when they previously considered self-adjoint extensions of the Laplace-Beltrami operator on the Riemannian part for these surfaces. We clarify that several of the extensions they considered induce diffusions that are carried by the Marin compactification at the singularity, which is much larger than the (one-point) metric completion. In the case when the singularity is more than one-point, a complete classification of diffusions extending Brownian motion would be unwieldy. Nonetheless, we again describe a "best" extension which respects the isometry group, and in this case, this diffusion corresponds to the bridging extension. A prominent role is played by Bessel processes (of every real dimension) and the classical theory of one-dimensional diffusions and their boundary conditions.

math.PR↗

arXiv2019

On the compatibility between the adiabatic and the rotating wave approximations in quantum control

In this paper, we discuss the compatibility between the rotating-wave and the adiabatic approximations for controlled quantum systems. Although the paper focuses on applications to two-level quantum systems, the main results apply in higher dimension. Under some suitable hypotheses on the time scales, the two approximations can be combined. As a natural consequence of this, it is possible to design control laws achieving transitions of states between two energy levels of the Hamiltonian that are robust with respect to inhomogeneities of the amplitude of the control input.

math.OC↗

arXiv2019

Semi-conical eigenvalue intersections and the ensemble controllability problem for quantum systems

We study one-parametric perturbations of finite dimensional real Hamiltonians depending on two controls, and we show that generically in the space of Hamiltonians, conical intersections of eigenvalues can degenerate into semi-conical intersections of eigenvalues. Then, through the use of normal forms, we study the problem of ensemble controllability between the eigenstates of a generic Hamiltonian.

math.OC↗

arXiv2018

Highly corrupted image inpainting through hypoelliptic diffusion

We present a new image inpainting algorithm, the Averaging and Hypoelliptic Evolution (AHE) algorithm, inspired by the one presented in [SIAM J. Imaging Sci., vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 669--695, 2014] and based upon a semi-discrete variation of the Citti-Petitot-Sarti model of the primary visual cortex V1. The AHE algorithm is based on a suitable combination of sub-Riemannian hypoelliptic diffusion and ad-hoc local averaging techniques. In particular, we focus on reconstructing highly corrupted images (i.e. where more than the 80% of the image is missing), for which we obtain reconstructions comparable with the state-of-the-art.

cs.CV↗

arXiv2018

Cortical-inspired image reconstruction via sub-Riemannian geometry and hypoelliptic diffusion

In this paper we review several algorithms for image inpainting based on the hypoelliptic diffusion naturally associated with a mathematical model of the primary visual cortex. In particular, we present one algorithm that does not exploit the information of where the image is corrupted, and others that do it. While the first algorithm is able to reconstruct only images that our visual system is still capable of recognize, we show that those of the second type completely transcend such limitation providing reconstructions at the state-of-the-art in image inpainting. This can be interpreted as a validation of the fact that our visual cortex actually encodes the first type of algorithm.

cs.CV↗

arXiv2017

Intrinsic random walks and sub-Laplacians in sub-Riemannian geometry

On a sub-Riemannian manifold we define two type of Laplacians. The \emph{macroscopic Laplacian} $Δ_ω$, as the divergence of the horizontal gradient, once a volume $ω$ is fixed, and the \emph{microscopic Laplacian}, as the operator associated with a sequence of geodesic random walks. We consider a general class of random walks, where \emph{all} sub-Riemannian geodesics are taken in account. This operator depends only on the choice of a complement $\mathbf{c}$ to the sub-Riemannian distribution, and is denoted $L^c$. We address the problem of equivalence of the two operators. This problem is interesting since, on equiregular sub-Riemannian manifolds, there is always an intrinsic volume (e.g. Popp's one $P$) but not a canonical choice of complement. The result depends heavily on the type of structure under investigation. On contact structures, for every volume $ω$, there exists a unique complement $c$ such that $Δ_ω=L^c$. On Carnot groups, if $H$ is the Haar volume, then there always exists a complement $c$ such that $Δ_H=L^c$. However this complement is not unique in general. For quasi-contact structures, in general, $Δ_P \neq L^c$ for any choice of $c$. In particular, $L^c$ is not symmetric w.r.t. Popp's measure. This is surprising especially in dimension 4 where, in a suitable sense, $Δ_P$ is the unique intrinsic macroscopic Laplacian. A crucial notion that we introduce here is the N-intrinsic volume, i.e. a volume that depends only on the set of parameters of the nilpotent approximation. When the nilpotent approximation does not depend on the point, a N-intrinsic volume is unique up to a scaling by a constant and the corresponding N-intrinsic sub-Laplacian is unique. This is what happens for dimension smaller or equal than 4, and in particular in the 4-dimensional quasi-contact structure mentioned above.

math.DG↗

arXiv2017

Intrinsic random walks in Riemannian and sub-Riemannian geometry via volume sampling

We relate some basic constructions of stochastic analysis to differential geometry, via random walk approximations. We consider walks on both Riemannian and sub-Riemannian manifolds in which the steps consist of travel along either geodesics or integral curves associated to orthonormal frames, and we give particular attention to walks where the choice of step is influenced by a volume on the manifold. A primary motivation is to explore how one can pass, in the parabolic scaling limit, from geodesics, orthonormal frames, and/or volumes to diffusions, and hence their infinitesimal generators, on sub-Riemannian manifolds, which is interesting in light of the fact that there is no completely canonical notion of sub-Laplacian on a general sub-Riemannian manifold. However, even in the Riemannian case, this random walk approach illuminates the geometric significance of Ito and Stratonovich stochastic differential equations as well as the role played by the volume.

math.DG↗

arXiv2016

Heat kernel asymptotics on sub-Riemannian manifolds with symmetries and applications to the bi-Heisenberg group

By adapting a technique of Molchanov, we obtain the heat kernel asymptotics at the sub-Riemannian cut locus, when the cut points are reached by an $r$-dimensional parametric family of optimal geodesics. We apply these results to the bi-Heisenberg group, that is, a nilpotent left-invariant sub-Rieman\-nian structure on $\mathbb{R}^{5}$ depending on two real parameters $α_{1}$ and $α_{2}$. We develop some results about its geodesics and heat kernel associated to its sub-Laplacian and we illuminate some interesting geometric and analytic features appearing when one compares the isotropic ($α_{1}=α_{2}$) and the non-isotropic cases ($α_{1}\neq α_{2}$). In particular, we give the exact structure of the cut locus, and we get the complete small-time asymptotics for its heat kernel.

math.AP↗

arXiv2016

Generic singularities of line fields on 2D manifolds

Generic singularities of line fields have been studied for lines of principal curvature of embedded surfaces. In this paper we propose an approach to classify generic singularities of general line fields on 2D manifolds. The idea is to identify line fields as bisectors of pairs of vector fields on the manifold, with respect to a given conformal structure. The singularities correspond to the zeros of the vector fields and the genericity is considered with respect to a natural topology in the space of pairs of vector fields. Line fields at generic singularities turn out to be topologically equivalent to the Lemon, Star and Monstar singularities that one finds at umbilical points.

math.DG↗

arXiv2015

Self-adjoint extensions and stochastic completeness of the Laplace-Beltrami operator on conic and anticonic surfaces

We study the evolution of the heat and of a free quantum particle (described by the Schrödinger equation) on two-dimensional manifolds endowed with the degenerate Riemannian metric $ds^2=dx^2+|x|^{-2α}dθ^2$, where $x\in \mathbb R$, $θ\in\mathbb T$ and the parameter $α\in\mathbb R$. For $α\le-1$ this metric describes cone-like manifolds (for $α=-1$ it is a flat cone). For $α=0$ it is a cylinder. For $α\ge 1$ it is a Grushin-like metric. We show that the Laplace-Beltrami operator $Δ$ is essentially self-adjoint if and only if $α\notin(-3,1)$. In this case the only self-adjoint extension is the Friedrichs extension $Δ_F$, that does not allow communication through the singular set $\{x=0\}$ both for the heat and for a quantum particle. For $α\in(-3,-1]$ we show that for the Schrödinger equation only the average on $θ$ of the wave function can cross the singular set, while the solutions of the only Markovian extension of the heat equation (which indeed is $Δ_F$) cannot. For $α\in(-1,1)$ we prove that there exists a canonical self-adjoint extension $Δ_B$, called bridging extension, which is Markovian and allows the complete communication through the singularity (both of the heat and of a quantum particle). Also, we study the stochastic completeness (i.e., conservation of the $L^1$ norm for the heat equation) of the Markovian extensions $Δ_F$ and $Δ_B$, proving that $Δ_F$ is stochastically complete at the singularity if and only if $α\le -1$, while $Δ_B$ is always stochastically complete at the singularity.

math.AP↗

arXiv2015

Developmental Partial Differential Equations

In this paper, we introduce the concept of Developmental Partial Differential Equation (DPDE), which consists of a Partial Differential Equation (PDE) on a time-varying manifold with complete coupling between the PDE and the manifold's evolution. In other words, the manifold's evolution depends on the solution to the PDE, and vice versa the differential operator of the PDE depends on the manifold's geometry. DPDE is used to study a diffusion equation with source on a growing surface whose growth depends on the intensity of the diffused quantity. The surface may, for instance, represent the membrane of an egg chamber and the diffused quantity a protein activating a signaling pathway leading to growth. Our main objective is to show controllability of the surface shape using a fixed source with variable intensity for the diffusion. More specifically, we look for a control driving a symmetric manifold shape to any other symmetric shape in a given time interval. For the diffusion we take directly the Laplace-Beltrami operator of the surface, while the surface growth is assumed to be equal to the value of the diffused quantity. We introduce a theoretical framework, provide approximate controllability and show numerical results. Future applications include a specific model for the oogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster.

math.OC↗

arXiv2015

Training Schrödinger's cat: quantum optimal control

It is control that turns scientific knowledge into useful technology: in physics and engineering it provides a systematic way for driving a system from a given initial state into a desired target state with minimized expenditure of energy and resources -- as famously applied in the Apollo programme. As one of the cornerstones for enabling quantum technologies, optimal quantum control keeps evolving and expanding into areas as diverse as quantum-enhanced sensing, manipulation of single spins, photons, or atoms, optical spectroscopy, photochemistry, magnetic resonance (spectroscopy as well as medical imaging), quantum information processing and quantum simulation. --- Here state-of-the-art quantum control techniques are reviewed and put into perspective by a consortium uniting expertise in optimal control theory and applications to spectroscopy, imaging, quantum dynamics of closed and open systems. We address key challenges and sketch a roadmap to future developments.

quant-ph↗