arXiv subjects

Zheng Zhai

Publications and source records attributed to Zheng Zhai.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Regularized Optimization on Grassmann Manifold: Theory, Algorithm and Applications

Spectral methods are among the most widely used techniques for community detection, clustering, and graph learning. Their performance, however, critically depends on the accurate estimation of the underlying spectral subspace and can deteriorate substantially in the presence of noise, outliers, or model perturbations. To address this limitation, we propose a Regularized Projection Matrix Approximation (RPMA) framework for robust estimation of rank-$K$ projection matrices. RPMA extends classical spectral projection by incorporating a regularization term, producing projection estimates that are more robust, sparse, and interpretable. We formulate the proposed model as an optimization problem on the manifold of rank-$K$ projection matrices and exploit its geometric equivalence to the Grassmann manifold. Based on this manifold characterization, we derive the first- and second-order optimality conditions, establish the local stability of the regularized leading eigenspace, and characterize the stability of the critical-point landscape under sufficiently small regularization. To efficiently solve the resulting nonconvex optimization problem, we develop a Riemannian gradient projection algorithm with backtracking line search, together with a more efficient Cayley--Sherman--Morrison--Woodbury (Cayley--SMW) gradient method that avoids repeated eigendecompositions. Extensive experiments on both synthetic and real-world datasets demonstrate that RPMA substantially improves the recovery accuracy of projection matrices and consistently outperforms conventional spectral projection methods for community detection and clustering under noisy environments.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2026

Robust Subspace-Constrained Quadratic Models for Low-Dimensional Structure Learning

In this paper, we propose a robust subspace-constrained quadratic model (SCQM) for learning low-dimensional structure from high-dimensional data. Building upon the subspace-constrained quadratic matrix factorization (SQMF) framework, the proposed model accommodates a broad class of noise distributions, including generalized Gaussian and radial Laplace models. This generalization enables reliable performance under both heavy-tailed and light-tailed noise, thereby substantially enhancing robustness across diverse data regimes. To efficiently address the resulting nonconvex optimization problem, we develop a gradient-based algorithm equipped with a backtracking line-search strategy that ensures stable and efficient convergence. In addition, we present a sensitivity analysis of the $\ell_p^p$ and $\ell_2$ loss functions, elucidating their distinct behaviors under varying noise characteristics. Extensive numerical experiments corroborate the theoretical analysis and demonstrate that the proposed approach consistently outperforms existing methods in terms of robustness and reconstruction accuracy.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2024

Regularized Projection Matrix Approximation with Applications to Community Detection

This paper introduces a regularized projection matrix approximation framework designed to recover cluster information from the affinity matrix. The model is formulated as a projection approximation problem, incorporating an entry-wise penalty function. We investigate three distinct penalty functions, each specifically tailored to address bounded, positive, and sparse scenarios. To solve this problem, we propose direct optimization on the Stiefel manifold, utilizing the Cayley transformation along with the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) algorithm. Additionally, we provide a theoretical analysis that establishes the convergence properties of ADMM, demonstrating that the convergence point satisfies the KKT conditions of the original problem. Numerical experiments conducted on both synthetic and real-world datasets reveal that our regularized projection matrix approximation approach significantly outperforms state-of-the-art methods in clustering performance.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2024

Subspace-Constrained Quadratic Matrix Factorization: Algorithm and Applications

Matrix Factorization has emerged as a widely adopted framework for modeling data exhibiting low-rank structures. To address challenges in manifold learning, this paper presents a subspace-constrained quadratic matrix factorization model. The model is designed to jointly learn key low-dimensional structures, including the tangent space, the normal subspace, and the quadratic form that links the tangent space to a low-dimensional representation. We solve the proposed factorization model using an alternating minimization method, involving an in-depth investigation of nonlinear regression and projection subproblems. Theoretical properties of the quadratic projection problem and convergence characteristics of the alternating strategy are also investigated. To validate our approach, we conduct numerical experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets. Results demonstrate that our model outperforms existing methods, highlighting its robustness and efficacy in capturing core low-dimensional structures.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2024

Ridge Estimation with Nonlinear Transformations

Ridge estimation is an important manifold learning technique. The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of nonlinear transformations on the ridge sets. The main result proves the inclusion relationship between ridges: $\cR(f\circ p)\subseteq \cR(p)$, provided that the transformation $f$ is strictly increasing and concave on the range of the function $p$. Additionally, given an underlying true manifold $\cM$, we show that the Hausdorff distance between $\cR(f\circ p)$ and its projection onto $\cM$ is smaller than the Hausdorff distance between $\cR(p)$ and the corresponding projection. This motivates us to apply an increasing and concave transformation before the ridge estimation. In specific, we show that the power transformations $f^{q}(y)=y^q/q,-\infty<q\leq 1$ are increasing and concave on $\RR_+$, and thus we can use such power transformations when $p$ is strictly positive. Numerical experiments demonstrate the advantages of the proposed methods.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2023

Bounded Projection Matrix Approximation with Applications to Community Detection

Community detection is an important problem in unsupervised learning. This paper proposes to solve a projection matrix approximation problem with an additional entrywise bounded constraint. Algorithmically, we introduce a new differentiable convex penalty and derive an alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm. Theoretically, we establish the convergence properties of the proposed algorithm. Numerical experiments demonstrate the superiority of our algorithm over its competitors, such as the semi-definite relaxation method and spectral clustering.

cs.SI↗

arXiv2023

Quadratic Matrix Factorization with Applications to Manifold Learning

Matrix factorization is a popular framework for modeling low-rank data matrices. Motivated by manifold learning problems, this paper proposes a quadratic matrix factorization (QMF) framework to learn the curved manifold on which the dataset lies. Unlike local linear methods such as the local principal component analysis, QMF can better exploit the curved structure of the underlying manifold. Algorithmically, we propose an alternating minimization algorithm to optimize QMF and establish its theoretical convergence properties. Moreover, to avoid possible over-fitting, we then propose a regularized QMF algorithm and discuss how to tune its regularization parameter. Finally, we elaborate how to apply the regularized QMF to manifold learning problems. Experiments on a synthetic manifold learning dataset and two real datasets, including the MNIST handwritten dataset and a cryogenic electron microscopy dataset, demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method over its competitors.

cs.LG↗