Solving Degenerate Sparse Polynomial Systems Faster

Consider a system F of n polynomial equations in n unknowns, over an algebraically closed field of arbitrary characteristic. We present a fast method to find a point in every irreducible component of the zero set Z of F. Our techniques allow us to sharpen and lower prior complexity bounds for this problem by fully taking into account the monomial term structure. As a corollary of our development we also obtain new explicit formulae for the exact number of isolated roots of F and the intersection multiplicity of the positive-dimensional part of Z. Finally, we present a combinatorial construction of non-degenerate polynomial systems, with specified monomial term structure and maximally many isolated roots, which may be of independent interest.Comment: This is the final journal version of math.AG/9702222 (``Toric Generalized Characteristic Polynomials''). This final version is a major revision with several new theorems, examples, and references. The prior results are also significantly improve

Some Speed-Ups and Speed Limits for Real Algebraic Geometry

We give new positive and negative results (some conditional) on speeding up computational algebraic geometry over the reals: (1) A new and sharper upper bound on the number of connected components of a semialgebraic set. Our bound is novel in that it is stated in terms of the volumes of certain polytopes and, for a large class of inputs, beats the best previous bounds by a factor exponential in the number of variables. (2) A new algorithm for approximating the real roots of certain sparse polynomial systems. Two features of our algorithm are (a) arithmetic complexity polylogarithmic in the degree of the underlying complex variety (as opposed to the super-linear dependence in earlier algorithms) and (b) a simple and efficient generalization to certain univariate exponential sums. (3) Detecting whether a real algebraic surface (given as the common zero set of some input straight-line programs) is not smooth can be done in polynomial time within the classical Turing model (resp. BSS model over C) only if P=NP (resp. NP<=BPP). The last result follows easily from an unpublished result of Steve Smale.Comment: This is the final journal version which will appear in Journal of Complexity. More typos are corrected, and a new section is added where the bounds here are compared to an earlier result of Benedetti, Loeser, and Risler. The LaTeX source needs the ajour.cls macro file to compil

A Geometric Effective Nullstellensatz

We present in this paper a geometric theorem which clarifies and extends in several directions work of Brownawell, Kollar and others on the effective Nullstellensatz. To begin with, we work on an arbitrary smooth complex projective variety X, with previous results corresponding to the case when X is projective space. In this setting we prove a local effective Nullstellensatz for ideal sheaves, and a corresponding global division theorem for adjoint-type bundles. We also make explicit the connection with the intersection theory of Fulton and MacPherson. Finally, constructions involving products of prime ideals that appear in earlier work are replaced by geometrically more natural conditions involving order of vanishing along subvarieties. The main technical inputs are vanishing theorems, which are used to give a simple algebro-geometric proof of a theorem of Skoda type, which may be of independent interest.Comment: Introduction expanded, examples added, work of Sombra discusse

A perturbed differential resultant based implicitization algorithm for linear DPPEs

Let \bbK be an ordinary differential field with derivation $\partial$. Let \cP be a system of $n$ linear differential polynomial parametric equations in $n-1$ differential parameters with implicit ideal \id. Given a nonzero linear differential polynomial $A$ in \id we give necessary and sufficient conditions on $A$ for \cP to be $n-1$ dimensional. We prove the existence of a linear perturbation \cP_{\phi} of \cP so that the linear complete differential resultant \dcres_{\phi} associated to \cP_{\phi} is nonzero. A nonzero linear differential polynomial in \id is obtained from the lowest degree term of \dcres_{\phi} and used to provide an implicitization algorithm for \cP

Computational Arithmetic Geometry I: Sentences Nearly in the Polynomial Hierarchy

We consider the average-case complexity of some otherwise undecidable or open Diophantine problems. More precisely, consider the following: (I) Given a polynomial f in Z[v,x,y], decide the sentence \exists v \forall x \exists y f(v,x,y)=0, with all three quantifiers ranging over N (or Z). (II) Given polynomials f_1,...,f_m in Z[x_1,...,x_n] with m>=n, decide if there is a rational solution to f_1=...=f_m=0. We show that, for almost all inputs, problem (I) can be done within coNP. The decidability of problem (I), over N and Z, was previously unknown. We also show that the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis (GRH) implies that, for almost all inputs, problem (II) can be done via within the complexity class PP^{NP^NP}, i.e., within the third level of the polynomial hierarchy. The decidability of problem (II), even in the case m=n=2, remains open in general. Along the way, we prove results relating polynomial system solving over C, Q, and Z/pZ. We also prove a result on Galois groups associated to sparse polynomial systems which may be of independent interest. A practical observation is that the aforementioned Diophantine problems should perhaps be avoided in the construction of crypto-systems.Comment: Slight revision of final journal version of an extended abstract which appeared in STOC 1999. This version includes significant corrections and improvements to various asymptotic bounds. Needs cjour.cls to compil

Explicit formulas for the multivariate resultant

We present formulas for the homogenous multivariate resultant as a quotient of two determinants. They extend classical Macaulay formulas, and involve matrices of considerably smaller size, whose non zero entries include coefficients of the given polynomials and coefficients of their Bezoutian. These formulas can also be viewed as an explicit computation of the morphisms and the determinant of a resultant complex.Comment: 30 pages, Late