Dimensionality Reduction for k-Means Clustering and Low Rank Approximation

We show how to approximate a data matrix $\mathbf{A}$ with a much smaller sketch $\mathbf{\tilde A}$ that can be used to solve a general class of constrained k-rank approximation problems to within $(1+\epsilon)$ error. Importantly, this class of problems includes $k$-means clustering and unconstrained low rank approximation (i.e. principal component analysis). By reducing data points to just $O(k)$ dimensions, our methods generically accelerate any exact, approximate, or heuristic algorithm for these ubiquitous problems. For $k$-means dimensionality reduction, we provide $(1+\epsilon)$ relative error results for many common sketching techniques, including random row projection, column selection, and approximate SVD. For approximate principal component analysis, we give a simple alternative to known algorithms that has applications in the streaming setting. Additionally, we extend recent work on column-based matrix reconstruction, giving column subsets that not only `cover' a good subspace for \bv{A}, but can be used directly to compute this subspace. Finally, for $k$-means clustering, we show how to achieve a $(9+\epsilon)$ approximation by Johnson-Lindenstrauss projecting data points to just $O(\log k/\epsilon^2)$ dimensions. This gives the first result that leverages the specific structure of $k$-means to achieve dimension independent of input size and sublinear in $k$

A new jet algorithm based on the k-means clustering for the reconstruction of heavy states from jets

A jet algorithm based on the k-means clustering procedure is proposed which can be used for the invariant-mass reconstruction of heavy states decaying to hadronic jets. The proposed algorithm was tested by reconstructing E+ E- to ttbar to 6 jets and E+ E- to W+W- to 4 jets processes at \sqrt{s}=500 GeV using a Monte Carlo simulation. It was shown that the algorithm has a reconstruction efficiency similar to traditional jet-finding algorithms, and leads to 25% and 40% reduction of reconstruction width for top quarks and W bosons, respectively, compared to the kT (Durham) algorithm. In addition, it is expected that the peak positions measured with the new algorithm have smaller systematical uncertainty.Comment: 11 pages, 3 eps figures (Eur. Phys. J. C, in press