34 research outputs found
Proximal Galerkin: A structure-preserving finite element method for pointwise bound constraints
The proximal Galerkin finite element method is a high-order, low iteration
complexity, nonlinear numerical method that preserves the geometric and
algebraic structure of bound constraints in infinite-dimensional function
spaces. This paper introduces the proximal Galerkin method and applies it to
solve free boundary problems, enforce discrete maximum principles, and develop
scalable, mesh-independent algorithms for optimal design. The paper leads to a
derivation of the latent variable proximal point (LVPP) algorithm: an
unconditionally stable alternative to the interior point method. LVPP is an
infinite-dimensional optimization algorithm that may be viewed as having an
adaptive barrier function that is updated with a new informative prior at each
(outer loop) optimization iteration. One of the main benefits of this algorithm
is witnessed when analyzing the classical obstacle problem. Therein, we find
that the original variational inequality can be replaced by a sequence of
semilinear partial differential equations (PDEs) that are readily discretized
and solved with, e.g., high-order finite elements. Throughout this work, we
arrive at several unexpected contributions that may be of independent interest.
These include (1) a semilinear PDE we refer to as the entropic Poisson
equation; (2) an algebraic/geometric connection between high-order
positivity-preserving discretizations and certain infinite-dimensional Lie
groups; and (3) a gradient-based, bound-preserving algorithm for two-field
density-based topology optimization. The complete latent variable proximal
Galerkin methodology combines ideas from nonlinear programming, functional
analysis, tropical algebra, and differential geometry and can potentially lead
to new synergies among these areas as well as within variational and numerical
analysis
Statistical computation with kernels
Modern statistical inference has seen a tremendous increase in the size and complexity of models and datasets. As such, it has become reliant on advanced com- putational tools for implementation. A first canonical problem in this area is the numerical approximation of integrals of complex and expensive functions. Numerical integration is required for a variety of tasks, including prediction, model comparison and model choice. A second canonical problem is that of statistical inference for models with intractable likelihoods. These include models with intractable normal- isation constants, or models which are so complex that their likelihood cannot be evaluated, but from which data can be generated. Examples include large graphical models, as well as many models in imaging or spatial statistics.
This thesis proposes to tackle these two problems using tools from the kernel methods and Bayesian non-parametrics literature. First, we analyse a well-known algorithm for numerical integration called Bayesian quadrature, and provide consis- tency and contraction rates. The algorithm is then assessed on a variety of statistical inference problems, and extended in several directions in order to reduce its compu- tational requirements. We then demonstrate how the combination of reproducing kernels with Stein’s method can lead to computational tools which can be used with unnormalised densities, including numerical integration and approximation of probability measures. We conclude by studying two minimum distance estimators derived from kernel-based statistical divergences which can be used for unnormalised and generative models.
In each instance, the tractability provided by reproducing kernels and their properties allows us to provide easily-implementable algorithms whose theoretical foundations can be studied in depth
Some Theory and Applications of Probability in Quantum Mechanics
This thesis investigates three distinct facets of the theory of quantum information. The first two, quantum state estimation and quantum process estimation, are closely related and deal with the question of how to estimate the classical parameters in a quantum mechanical model. The third attempts to bring quantum theory as close as possible to classical theory through the formalism of quasi-probability.
Building a large scale quantum information processor is a significant challenge. First, we require an accurate characterization of the dynamics experienced by the device to allow for the application of error correcting codes and other tools for implementing useful quantum algorithms. The necessary scaling of computational resources needed to characterize a quantum system as a function of the number of subsystems is by now a well studied problem (the scaling is generally exponential). However, irrespective of the computational resources necessary to just write-down a classical description of a quantum state, we can ask about the experimental resources necessary to obtain data (measurement complexity) and the computational resources necessary to generate such a characterization (estimation complexity). These problems are studied here and approached from two directions.
The first problem we address is that of quantum state estimation. We apply high-level decision theoretic principles (applied in classical problems such as, for example, universal data compression) to the estimation of a qubit state. We prove that quantum states are more difficult to estimate than their classical counterparts by finding optimal estimation strategies. These strategies, requiring the solution to a difficult optimization problem, are difficult to implement in practise. Fortunately, we find estimation algorithms which come close to optimal but require far fewer resources to compute. Finally, we provide a classical analog of this quantum mechanical problem which reproduces, and gives intuitive explanations for, many of its features, such as why adaptive tomography can quadratically reduce its difficulty.
The second method for practical characterization of quantum devices takes is applied to the problem of quantum process estimation. This differs from the above analysis in two ways: (1) we apply strong restrictions on knowledge of various estimation and control parameters (the former making the problem easier, the latter making it harder); and (2) we consider the problem of designing future experiments based on the outcomes of past experiments. We show in test cases that adaptive protocols can exponentially outperform their off-line counterparts. Moreover, we adapt machine learning algorithms to the problem which bring these experimental design methodologies to realm of experimental feasibility.
In the final chapter we move away from estimation problems to show formally that a classical representation of quantum theory is not tenable. This intuitive conclusion is formally borne out through the connection to quasi-probability -- where it is equivalent to the necessity of negative probability in all such representations of quantum theory. In particular, we generalize previous no-go theorems to arbitrary classical representations of quantum systems of arbitrary dimension. We also discuss recent progress in the program to identify quantum resources for subtheories of quantum theory and operational restrictions motivated by quantum computation
Statistical computation with kernels
Modern statistical inference has seen a tremendous increase in the size and complexity of models and datasets. As such, it has become reliant on advanced computational tools for implementation. A first canonical problem in this area is the numerical approximation of integrals of complex and expensive functions. Numerical integration is required for a variety of tasks, including prediction, model comparison and model choice. A second canonical problem is that of statistical inference for models with intractable likelihoods. These include models with intractable normalisation constants, or models which are so complex that their likelihood cannot be evaluated, but from which data can be generated. Examples include large graphical models, as well as many models in imaging or spatial statistics.
This thesis proposes to tackle these two problems using tools from the kernel methods and Bayesian non-parametrics literature. First, we analyse a well-known algorithm for numerical integration called Bayesian quadrature, and provide consistency and contraction rates. The algorithm is then assessed on a variety of statistical inference problems, and extended in several directions in order to reduce its computational requirements. We then demonstrate how the combination of reproducing kernels with Stein's method can lead to computational tools which can be used with unnormalised densities, including numerical integration and approximation of probability measures. We conclude by studying two minimum distance estimators derived from kernel-based statistical divergences which can be used for unnormalised and generative models.
In each instance, the tractability provided by reproducing kernels and their properties allows us to provide easily-implementable algorithms whose theoretical foundations can be studied in depth