Introduction
A common subspace can retain substantial energy from several observations while losing an entire direction in one of them. A determinant detects this loss: it vanishes as soon as the compressed observation becomes singular. This makes volume preservation a natural objective when every direction of a selected subspace must remain represented.
Let A 1 , … , A m A_1,\ldots,A_m A 1 , … , A m be positive semidefinite matrices and let the columns of P P P form an orthonormal basis for a k k k -dimensional subspace. We seek to maximize
Mean p , w [ det ( P ∗ A i P ) 1 / k ] , P ∗ P = I k . \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}\left[\det(P^*A_iP)^{1/k}\right], \qquad P^*P=I_k. Mean p , w [ det ( P ∗ A i P ) 1/ k ] , P ∗ P = I k .
where Mean p , w \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w} Mean p , w is the weighted power mean across observations. The k k k th root makes the score homogeneous of degree one in A i A_i A i , as for a quadratic form x ∗ A i x x^*A_ix x ∗ A i x . Arithmetic averaging rewards the average score; geometric and negative-power means penalize poorly represented observations more strongly.
One motivating example is the Martin mean of subspaces [60 ] . For observed orthonormal frames U i U_i U i , its loss is the weighted sum of − log ∣ det ( U i ∗ P ) ∣ 2 -\log|\det(U_i^*P)|^2 − log ∣ det ( U i ∗ P ) ∣ 2 . Each absolute determinant is the product of the cosines of the principal angles, so an orthogonal direction incurs infinite loss. This is our geometric-mean problem with A i : = U i U i ∗ A_i:=U_iU_i^* A i := U i U i ∗ . Local manifold methods are available; the question here is what a polynomial-time algorithm can guarantee globally.
We give two answers to the question of how much is lost when a solution of a matrix relaxation is rounded to one subspace. For general instances, we determine the optimal approximation factor independent of the ambient dimension, for every fixed selected dimension and rational power at most one, conditional on N P ⊈ B P P \mathrm{NP}\not\subseteq\mathrm{BPP} NP ⊆ BPP . Above the critical power − k / 2 -k/2 − k /2 over R \mathbb{R} R and − k -k − k over C \mathbb{C} C , an explicit Gaussian determinant moment gives the factor. At and below this power, every positive constant-factor approximation is NP-hard. The algorithm attains the positive factor, with a qualification at ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) (k,p)=(1,1) ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) imposed by rational output. Matching hardness at p = 1 p=1 p = 1 requires a tensor construction (§ 5 ).
For two rank-k k k observations, the answer is stronger: there is no rounding loss. Every positive semidefinite matrix of trace k k k can be replaced by one subspace without decreasing either determinant score. This two-view purification holds before choosing an aggregate, so it gives exact reformulations for all coordinatewise increasing aggregates. For power means of order at most one, the resulting concave formulation also gives efficient relative approximation.
Both results use the same determinant-sensitive trace relaxation. Its domain is T n : = { X ⪰ 0 : tr X = 1 } \mathcal{T}_n:=\{X\succeq0:\operatorname{tr}X=1\} T n := { X ⪰ 0 : tr X = 1 } . The relaxed score of an observation A A A is
f A ( X ) : = k e k ( A 1 / 2 X A 1 / 2 ) 1 / k , f A ( P P ∗ / k ) = v A ( P ) , f_A(X):=k e_k\left(A^{1/2}XA^{1/2}\right)^{1/k}, \qquad f_A(PP^*/k)=v_A(P), f A ( X ) := k e k ( A 1/2 X A 1/2 ) 1/ k , f A ( P P ∗ / k ) = v A ( P ) ,
where e k e_k e k is the elementary symmetric polynomial of the eigenvalues. This score is concave. When A = U D U ∗ A=UDU^* A = U D U ∗ has rank k k k , with U ∗ U = I k U^*U=I_k U ∗ U = I k and d : = det ( D ) 1 / k d:=\det(D)^{1/k} d := det ( D ) 1/ k , setting Y : = k X Y:=kX Y := k X gives f A ( X ) = d det ( U ∗ Y U ) 1 / k f_A(X)=d\det(U^*YU)^{1/k} f A ( X ) = d det ( U ∗ Y U ) 1/ k , precisely the quantity preserved by the two-view construction. Independent Gaussian columns give the general approximation; principal-angle blocks give less loss rounding in the two-view case.
Martin means illustrate both conclusions. The geometric-power approximation becomes a sharp dimension-free additive bound for the Martin loss. For two observed subspaces, purification reduces the problem to scalar maximizations in their principal-angle blocks, giving an explicit global solution.
Relation to earlier work
Known scalar factors and Yuan’s subspace proposal. Barvinok [4 ] studied approximation of quadratic images by their convex hulls in relative entropy. Yuan and Parrilo’s 2021 preprint [62 ] gives the rank-sensitive scalar geometric-mean factor (Theorem 1.3) and matching relaxation gaps (Theorem 5.1). These are also Theorems 4.1.3 and 4.5.1 of Yuan’s dissertation [61 ] . Its Theorem 5.4.2 gives the scalar positive-power factors for 0 < p ≤ 1 0 < p \le1 0 < p ≤ 1 : after taking the 1 / p 1/p 1/ p power, they are exactly our α r , 1 ( p ) \alpha_{r,1}(p) α r , 1 ( p ) . The scalar factors and Gaussian covariance rounding are therefore established predecessors of the present results.
More directly, Section 5.6 of the dissertation formulates the common-subspace log-determinant problem, derives a trace relaxation, and proposes independent Gaussian columns followed by polar normalization. It leaves the approximation analysis for future work. That trace relaxation can lose an arbitrarily large factor for determinant volume, even for one positive-definite observation (Section 4.1). Our concave relaxed score instead agrees with the determinant score at every subspace. We establish its sharp approximation and hardness thresholds across the power-mean scale.
The related PSD-permanent literature includes the covariance relaxation of Anari et al. [2 ] and the product-of-linear-forms results of Yuan and Parrilo [63 ] . Anari and Ebrahimnejad’s 2026 preprint [1 ] obtains the optimal exponential approximation exponent, assuming P ≠ N P P \ne NP P = N P , through an entropy-corrected concave covariance relaxation. Its objective is a permanent, rather than a determinant of a compression to a common subspace.
Gaussian rounding and sharp constants. Gaussian rounding is central to semidefinite approximation [40 , 53 ] . For matrix objectives, Nemirovski [39 ] and Naor, Regev and Vidick [38 ] developed semidefinite approximation under orthogonality constraints and noncommutative Grothendieck rounding. Bandeira, Kennedy and Singer [3 ] combine Gaussian matrix rounding and polar projection in the real and complex settings. Their constants involve mean Gaussian singular values, with matching relaxation gaps. Their objective is quadratic in several orthogonal or unitary blocks; our determinant-root means require determinant moments. Briët, de Oliveira Filho and Vallentin [11 ] obtain Gamma-ratio approximation constants for the PSD Grothendieck problem with a Gram-rank constraint, with optimality under the Unique Games Conjecture. That Gram rank differs from the covariance rank in our rounding bound.
Sharp NP-hardness thresholds governed by Gaussian moments also occur in geometric approximation [26 ] . Our reductions use the real and complex norm-hardness results of Briët, Regev and Saket [12 ] and the block-subspace promise in the full version of Ebrahimnejad, Nagda and Oveis Gharan [18 ] . The Yuan–Parrilo product-of-forms hardness theorem [62 ] , Theorem 7.1 has factor ( 1 − ε ) 1 / d (1-\varepsilon)^{1/d} ( 1 − ε ) 1/ d for d = Ω ( n ) d = \Omega(n) d = Ω ( n ) forms (also [61 ] , Theorem 4.7.1); it does not identify a sharp constant-factor threshold. Tensor amplification also appears in norm hardness [8 ] ; our arithmetic-power argument controls coefficient energies across tensor orientations. General Stiefel and Grassmann hardness [29 , 30 ] concerns broader objective classes.
Elementary-symmetric volume criteria. The concavity of elementary-symmetric roots [6 , 21 , 34 ] and Gaussian determinant moments [20 , 23 , 37 , 41 ] are established ingredients. Pronzato, Wynn and Zhigljavsky [47 ] interpret elementary symmetric polynomials of covariance eigenvalues through expected squared simplex volumes and study their concave roots. Mariet and Sra [35 ] use elementary symmetric polynomials as partial-volume criteria in experimental design. These give geometric and statistical context for our relaxed score e k 1 / k e_k^{1/k} e k 1/ k . Hyperbolic optimization supplies a broader computational framework [25 ] ; Saunderson and Parrilo [49 ] give polynomial-size semidefinite representations of the associated derivative cones. Our algorithm uses the evaluation and separation oracles proved in Appendix § 12 ; a cone representation alone does not formulate the full power-mean objective.
Two-observation exactness. Fair dimensionality reduction [48 , 54 ] studies several retained-energy criteria. Tantipongpipat et al. [54 Theorem 1.2] prove exactness for two affine criteria under a concave aggregation nondecreasing in at least one argument. Li and Xie [32 Corollary 4] recover two-criterion fair-PCA exactness within a general theory of partial convexification and rank bounds. Their fair-PCA relaxation includes an eigenvalue cap. Shen et al. [50 ] exploit hidden convexity to solve two-group fair PCA through eigenvalue optimization of reconstruction-loss trace criteria. Randomized SDP rank reduction [52 ] controls relative deviations in linear measurements.
Our two-view purification theorem instead simultaneously preserves two nonlinear determinant scores from the full trace-k k k PSD domain, under the assumption that both observations have rank k k k . Its principal-angle blocks come from classical two-subspace geometry [10 , 27 ] . The author’s 2026 preprint [46 ] gives scalar exactness under a lower-envelope convexity condition, automatic for two real forms (Proposition 3.2 and Corollaries 4.1–4.2). Those scalar results allow general observation ranks; the two-view determinant theorem here assumes rank-k k k observations.
Subspace means and optimization methods. Stiefel and Grassmann optimization has a classical geometric foundation [19 ] ; a recent account is [7 ] . Feasible manifold methods [58 ] and nonlinear eigenvalue methods [31 ] provide iterative algorithms; the convergence guarantees in the latter framework are to stationary points under its assumptions. Semidefinite methods for quadratic frame objectives [14 , 15 , 22 ] also relax orthogonality. Cory-Wright and Pauphilet’s extended version [15 arXiv version 4] gives a 1/3 approximation using Gaussian polar rounding. These objectives are quadratic in a frame; ours are generally nonlinear and invariant under changes of basis. Xu’s 2026 preprint [59 ] uses a smooth minimum of compressed log determinants, equivalently a logarithmic negative-power-mean objective, and develops stationary-point methods for the continuous subspace stage.
The Martin loss originates in a metric for ARMA processes [36 ] , with its subspace-angle interpretation developed in [16 ] . Yang and Hospedales [60 ] explicitly optimize the finite-dimensional Martin mean. Our results give a global approximation guarantee and an explicit solution for two subspaces. The relaxed weighted log-determinant problem belongs to the MAXDET and weighted determinant-maximization families [55 , 56 ] . Binet–Cauchy kernels [57 ] use determinant overlaps; averaging squared overlaps corresponds to power p = k p=k p = k in our scale. Intrinsic Grassmann means [5 ] instead minimize squared geodesic distances, which gives a different loss from Martin’s logarithmic determinant.
Discrete determinant selection. Subdeterminant maximization and largest-simplex approximation [17 , 33 , 42 , 43 ] select vectors from a finite collection. Brown et al. [13 ] develop constructive matroid-intersection algorithms for determinant maximization. Experimental design [44 , 51 ] aggregates selected information matrices; the partial-volume criteria of [35 ] connect this literature to elementary symmetric polynomials. Here every fixed observation is compressed to the same variable subspace. Constants depend on normalization: a factor b b b for a determinant root is b k b^k b k for the determinant.
Organization. § 2 fixes notation and the computational model. § 3 states the classification and its uniform-input algorithmic form. § 4 develops the trace relaxation and Gaussian rounding; § 5 gives matching hardness and its transfer to subspace observations. § 6 proves two-view purification, and § 7 derives the Martin consequences. Full technical proofs and numerical guarantees are in Appendices § 9 –§ 18 .
Notation and problem formulation
Notation
The field F \mathbb{F} F is R \mathbb{R} R or C \mathbb{C} C . The symbol A ∗ A^* A ∗ denotes transpose or conjugate transpose, respectively. All observation matrices are self-adjoint. We write A ⪰ 0 A \succeq0 A ⪰ 0 for positive semidefiniteness, A ≻ 0 A \succ0 A ≻ 0 for positive definiteness, and A ⪰ B A \succeq B A ⪰ B when A − B ⪰ 0 A-B \succeq0 A − B ⪰ 0 . The square root A 1 / 2 A^{1/2} A 1/2 is the positive semidefinite square root; it exists also when A A A is singular. Vector norms are Euclidean, ∥ ⋅ ∥ op \lVert\cdot\rVert_{\operatorname{op}} ∥ ⋅ ∥ op is the matrix operator norm, and ∥ ⋅ ∥ F \lVert\cdot\rVert_F ∥ ⋅ ∥ F is the Frobenius norm.
An orthonormal k k k -frame is a matrix in St ( n , k ) : = { P ∈ F n × k : P ∗ P = I k } \operatorname{St}(n,k):=\{P\in\mathbb{F}^{n\times k}:P^*P=I_k\} St ( n , k ) := { P ∈ F n × k : P ∗ P = I k } . Its columns span a k k k -dimensional subspace and P P ∗ PP^* P P ∗ is the orthogonal projector onto that subspace. We write P ⊥ P_\perp P ⊥ for an orthonormal frame of the orthogonal complement. The collection of these subspaces is the Grassmannian.
For a positive semidefinite d × d d\times d d × d matrix C C C with eigenvalues λ 1 , … , λ d \lambda_1,\ldots,\lambda_d λ 1 , … , λ d , define
e j ( C ) : = ∑ 1 ≤ i 1 < ⋯ < i j ≤ d λ i 1 ⋯ λ i j , e 0 ( C ) : = 1. e_j(C):=\sum_{1\le i_1<\cdots<i_j\le d}\lambda_{i_1}\cdots\lambda_{i_j},\qquad e_0(C):=1. e j ( C ) := 1 ≤ i 1 < ⋯ < i j ≤ d ∑ λ i 1 ⋯ λ i j , e 0 ( C ) := 1.
Thus e 1 ( C ) = tr C e_1(C)=\operatorname{tr} C e 1 ( C ) = tr C , e d ( C ) = det C e_d(C)=\det C e d ( C ) = det C , and det ( I d + z C ) = ∑ j = 0 d e j ( C ) z j \det(I_d+zC)=\sum_{j=0}^{d}e_j(C)z^j det ( I d + z C ) = ∑ j = 0 d e j ( C ) z j . Equivalently, e k ( C ) e_k(C) e k ( C ) is the sum of the k × k k\times k k × k principal minors of C C C .
We use natural logarithms and the functions
Γ ( x ) : = ∫ 0 ∞ t x − 1 e − t d t , ψ ( x ) : = d d x log Γ ( x ) ( x > 0 ) . \Gamma(x):=\int_{0}^{\infty}t^{x-1}e^{-t}\,\mathrm{d}t,\qquad\psi(x):=\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}x}\log\Gamma(x)\qquad(x>0). Γ ( x ) := ∫ 0 ∞ t x − 1 e − t d t , ψ ( x ) := d x d log Γ ( x ) ( x > 0 ) .
Set β : = 1 / 2 \beta:=1/2 β := 1/2 over R \mathbb{R} R and β : = 1 \beta:=1 β := 1 over C \mathbb{C} C . A standard real Gaussian has variance one; a standard complex Gaussian is ( ξ + i ζ ) / 2 (\xi+i\zeta)/\sqrt{2} ( ξ + i ζ ) / 2 for independent real standard Gaussians ξ , ζ \xi,\zeta ξ , ζ . A standard Gaussian matrix has independent such entries, each with expected squared modulus one. Expectation and probability are denoted by E \mathbb{E} E and Pr \Pr Pr .
Volume scores and their means
Fix 1 ≤ k ≤ n 1\le k\le n 1 ≤ k ≤ n , n × n n\times n n × n matrices A 1 , … , A m ⪰ 0 A_1,\ldots,A_m\succeq0 A 1 , … , A m ⪰ 0 , and positive weights w i w_i w i summing to one. We call the A i A_i A i observations ; in applications they may be covariance or second-moment matrices, or orthogonal projections onto observed subspaces. For nonnegative scalars, the weighted power mean is
Mean p , w [ a 1 , … , a m ] : = { ( ∑ i = 1 m w i a i p ) 1 / p , p ≠ 0 , ∏ i = 1 m a i w i , p = 0. (1) \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[a_1,\ldots,a_m]:=
\begin{cases}
\left(\sum_{i=1}^{m}w_i a_i^p\right)^{1/p}, & p\ne0,\\
\prod_{i=1}^{m}a_i^{w_i}, & p=0.
\end{cases} \tag*{(1)} Mean p , w [ a 1 , … , a m ] := { ( ∑ i = 1 m w i a i p ) 1/ p , ∏ i = 1 m a i w i , p = 0 , p = 0. (1)
At zero coordinates we use the continuous extension: if any positive-weight coordinate vanishes, the mean is zero for p ≤ 0 p\le0 p ≤ 0 . Every power in this paper is finite. The notation Mean p , w [ a i ] \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[a_i] Mean p , w [ a i ] abbreviates the list over the displayed observation index; for a random variable, Mean p \operatorname{Mean}_p Mean p denotes the corresponding expectation-based mean.
The compression P ∗ A P P^*AP P ∗ A P records an observation on the selected subspace. Its score is the geometric mean of its k k k eigenvalues:
v A ( P ) : = det ( P ∗ A P ) 1 / k = ( ∏ j = 1 k λ j ( P ∗ A P ) ) 1 / k , (2) v_A(P):=\det(P^*AP)^{1/k}=\left(\prod_{j=1}^{k}\lambda_j(P^*AP)\right)^{1/k}, \tag*{(2)} v A ( P ) := det ( P ∗ A P ) 1/ k = ( j = 1 ∏ k λ j ( P ∗ A P ) ) 1/ k , (2)
OPT p , k ( A , w ) : = max P ∈ St ( n , k ) Mean p , w [ v A i ( P ) ] . \operatorname{OPT}_{p,k}(A,w):=\max_{P\in\operatorname{St}(n,k)}\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[v_{A_i}(P)]. OPT p , k ( A , w ) := P ∈ St ( n , k ) max Mean p , w [ v A i ( P )] .
Replacing P P P by P U PU P U , for an orthogonal or unitary U U U , leaves every score unchanged. Over R \mathbb{R} R , det ( P ∗ A P ) \det(P^*AP) det ( P ∗ A P ) is the squared k k k -dimensional volume multiplier under A 1 / 2 A^{1/2} A 1/2 . The score is homogeneous of degree one in A A A .
There are two distinct averages: the geometric mean within one compressed observation and the chosen power mean across observations. The identity
Mean p , w [ d i 1 / k ] k = Mean p / k , w [ d i ] \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[d_i^{1/k}]^k=\operatorname{Mean}_{p/k,w}[d_i] Mean p , w [ d i 1/ k ] k = Mean p / k , w [ d i ]
also shows why arithmetic averaging of raw determinants corresponds to p = k p=k p = k , rather than p = 1 p=1 p = 1 .
Input, output, and guarantees
Computational statements use rational matrix entries, rational powers, and positive rational weights. Over C \mathbb{C} C , both real and imaginary parts are rational. A subspace is returned as the range of a full-column-rank rational matrix B o u t B_{\mathrm{out}} B out ; its rational projector is B o u t ( B o u t ∗ B o u t ) − 1 B o u t ∗ B_{\mathrm{out}}(B_{\mathrm{out}}^{*}B_{\mathrm{out}})^{-1}B_{\mathrm{out}}^{*} B out ( B out ∗ B out ) − 1 B out ∗ . An orthonormal basis for that same subspace need not be rational.
A factor ρ ∈ [ 0 , 1 ] \rho\in[0,1] ρ ∈ [ 0 , 1 ] means a feasible value at least ρ OPT p , k \rho\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k} ρ OPT p , k . Randomized success means probability at least 2 / 3 2/3 2/3 ; independent repetition amplifies it. Polynomial time refers to the complete input bit length, with any further accuracy dependence stated explicitly. Hardness fixes the field, selected dimension k k k , rational power p p p , and target approximation factor ρ \rho ρ while the ambient dimension and input size grow. The conditional optimality of randomized algorithms uses N P ⊈ B P P \mathrm{NP} \not\subseteq\mathrm{BPP} NP ⊆ BPP ; the gap reductions are unconditional NP-hardness statements.
Sharp approximation guarantees
The computational threshold
For the fixed field parameter β \beta β , define, for finite p ≤ 1 p \le1 p ≤ 1 ,
α k ( p ) : = { 0 , p ≤ − k β , 1 k β [ ∏ j = 1 k Γ ( j β + p / k ) Γ ( j β ) ] 1 / p , p > − k β , p ≠ 0 , 1 k β exp ( 1 k ∑ j = 1 k ψ ( j β ) ) , p = 0. (3) \alpha_k(p) :=
\begin{cases}
0, & p \le-k\beta,\\
\frac{1}{k\beta}\left[\prod_{j=1}^{k}\frac{\Gamma(j\beta+p/k)}{\Gamma(j\beta)}\right]^{1/p}, & p>-k\beta,\quad p\ne0,\\
\frac{1}{k\beta}\exp\left(\frac{1}{k}\sum_{j=1}^{k}\psi(j\beta)\right), & p=0.
\end{cases} \tag*{(3)} α k ( p ) := ⎩ ⎨ ⎧ 0 , k β 1 [ ∏ j = 1 k Γ ( j β ) Γ ( j β + p / k ) ] 1/ p , k β 1 exp ( k 1 ∑ j = 1 k ψ ( j β ) ) , p ≤ − k β , p > − k β , p = 0 , p = 0. (3)
For p > − k β p>-k\beta p > − k β , this is the power mean of ∣ det H ∣ 2 / k / k |\det H|^{2/k}/k ∣ det H ∣ 2/ k / k for a square standard Gaussian H H H . The value at zero is its geometric mean. The zero extension at p = − k β p=-k\beta p = − k β reflects the computational theorem below; it is not an evaluation of a divergent Gamma product.
Theorem 3.1 (Sharp approximation classification). Fix the field, an integer k ≥ 1 k \ge1 k ≥ 1 , and a rational power p ≤ 1 p \le1 p ≤ 1 . For problem (2) :
If p > − k β p>-k\beta p > − k β and ( k , p ) ≠ ( 1 , 1 ) (k,p)\ne(1,1) ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) , a randomized polynomial-time algorithm attains value at least α k ( p ) OPT p , k \alpha_k(p)\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k} α k ( p ) OPT p , k .
For every fixed ρ \rho ρ with α k ( p ) < ρ < 1 \alpha_k(p)<\rho<1 α k ( p ) < ρ < 1 , obtaining a ρ \rho ρ -approximation is NP-hard. If p ≤ − k β p\le-k\beta p ≤ − k β , every positive constant-factor approximation is NP-hard.
The hardness holds for equally weighted rational PSD observations of rank at most k k k , and also for equally weighted positive-definite observations as a separate family. It transfers to rational rank-k k k projection observations with positive rational weights; at p = 0 p=0 p = 0 , equal weights suffice. At ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) (k,p)=(1,1) ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) the problem is a largest-eigenvalue problem, with approximation supremum one.
Table 1. The parameters held fixed in the approximation statements.
The proof is assembled in Section B.8. Under NP ⊈ \not\subseteq ⊆ BPP, the theorem determines the optimal factor independent of n n n and m m m . We call p = − k β p=-k\beta p = − k β the negative-moment boundary , since it is where the inverse-power Gaussian determinant moment ceases to be finite. A zero universal factor does not say that all instance optima vanish: it excludes one fixed positive relative guarantee over the entire family.
A single algorithm with dimension and power as inputs
Theorem 3.1 fixes k k k and p p p in advance. Its algorithmic assertion strengthens to a single algorithm taking both as inputs. Fix a relative margin 0 < δ < 1 0 < \delta< 1 0 < δ < 1 above the negative-moment boundary:
− ( 1 − δ ) k β ≤ p ≤ 1. (4) -(1-\delta)k\beta\le p \le1. \tag*{(4)} − ( 1 − δ ) k β ≤ p ≤ 1. (4)
Theorem 3.2 (Attainment of the threshold). Fix the field and 0 < δ < 1 0 < \delta< 1 0 < δ < 1 . One randomized algorithm, polynomial in the complete rational input bit length, attains α k ( p ) \alpha_k(p) α k ( p ) for all input k , p k,p k , p in (3.2), except at ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) (k,p)=(1,1) ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) . At ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) (k,p)=(1,1) ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) , every prescribed factor 1 − ε 1-\varepsilon 1 − ε is available in time polynomial also in max ( 1 , 1 / ε ) \max(1,1/\varepsilon) max ( 1 , 1/ ε ) ; an exact optimum has an algebraic representation.
The proof is in Section B.8, with the scalar near-one estimate in Section B.7. Attainment means that the displayed factor has no additional subtracted error allowance. The Gamma constant appears only in the analysis; rational-output limitations at ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) (k,p)=(1,1) ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) are discussed in Section B.8. For rational p < 1 p<1 p < 1 arbitrarily close to one, the algorithm remains polynomial in the bit length of p p p : its sample count has no factor proportional to 1 / ( 1 − p ) 1/(1-p) 1/ ( 1 − p ) .
Table 1 distinguishes this assertion from the finite-dimensional guarantee of § 4 and the hardness theorem.
The determinant relaxation and Gaussian rounding
A subspace determines a normalized projection matrix. We relax that matrix to an arbitrary PSD matrix of trace one, while retaining the determinant information in every observation. Gaussian sampling then converts the fractional solution back to one subspace.
A determinant-sensitive trace relaxation
Let
T n : = { X ⪰ 0 : tr X = 1 } . (5) \mathcal{T}_n := \{X \succeq0 : \operatorname{tr} X = 1\}. \tag*{(5)} T n := { X ⪰ 0 : tr X = 1 } . (5)
For A ⪰ 0 A \succeq0 A ⪰ 0 , define
f A ( X ) : = k e k ( A 1 / 2 X A 1 / 2 ) 1 / k . (6) f_A(X) := k e_k\left(A^{1/2} X A^{1/2}\right)^{1/k}. \tag*{(6)} f A ( X ) := k e k ( A 1/2 X A 1/2 ) 1/ k . (6)
We call f A f_A f A the relaxed score of observation A A A . The elementary-symmetric-root inequality of Marcus and Lopes [34 ] makes this function concave on the PSD cone. It is nonnegative, Loewner-increasing, and homogeneous of degree one. Monotonicity follows from eigenvalue monotonicity. These properties extend to the boundary by continuity. If rank A < k \operatorname{rank} A < k rank A < k , then f A f_A f A vanishes identically.
For an orthonormal k k k -frame P P P , the nonzero eigenvalues of A 1 / 2 P P ∗ A 1 / 2 A^{1/2}PP^*A^{1/2} A 1/2 P P ∗ A 1/2 are those of P ∗ A P P^*AP P ∗ A P . Consequently
f A ( P P ∗ / k ) = det ( P ∗ A P ) 1 / k = v A ( P ) . (7) f_A(PP^*/k) = \det(P^*AP)^{1/k} = v_A(P). \tag*{(7)} f A ( P P ∗ / k ) = det ( P ∗ A P ) 1/ k = v A ( P ) . (7)
Since the power mean is concave and coordinatewise increasing for p ≤ 1 p \le1 p ≤ 1 , the function
F ( X ) : = Mean p , w [ f A i ( X ) ] F(X) := \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[f_{A_i}(X)] F ( X ) := Mean p , w [ f A i ( X )]
is concave on T n \mathcal{T}_n T n , with the stated continuous convention at zero scores. Maximizing it is therefore a convex optimization problem, and its optimum S ⋆ S^\star S ⋆ satisfies S ⋆ ≥ OPT p , k S^\star\ge\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k} S ⋆ ≥ OPT p , k . The convex hull of normalized rank-k k k projectors additionally imposes X ⪯ I / k X \preceq I/k X ⪯ I / k [45 ] ; the domain (5) omits this spectral cap.
Why the relaxed score must retain determinants. The trace constraint does not make this a linear trace surrogate. For A : = diag ( 1 , ε , ε ) A := \operatorname{diag}(1,\varepsilon,\varepsilon) A := diag ( 1 , ε , ε ) , k = 2 k = 2 k = 2 , and 0 < ε < 1 0 < \varepsilon< 1 0 < ε < 1 , the largest determinant-root score is ε \sqrt{\varepsilon} ε , whereas max X ∈ T 3 tr ( A X ) = 1 \max_{X \in\mathcal{T}_3} \operatorname{tr}(AX) = 1 max X ∈ T 3 tr ( A X ) = 1 . Thus a linear trace score can lose an arbitrarily large factor. Even the spectral cap used in Yuan’s dissertation [61 Section 5.6] does not repair this gap: X : = diag ( 1 / 2 , 1 / 2 , 0 ) X := \operatorname{diag}(1/2,1/2,0) X := diag ( 1/2 , 1/2 , 0 ) satisfies X ⪯ I / 2 X \preceq I/2 X ⪯ I /2 and tr X = 1 \operatorname{tr} X = 1 tr X = 1 , but its trace score is ( 1 + ε ) / 2 (1+\varepsilon)/2 ( 1 + ε ) /2 . Identity (7) is the essential property of our relaxed score.
The finite-rank rounding factor
For a relaxed matrix of rank r ≥ k r \ge k r ≥ k and − k β < p ≤ 1 -k\beta< p \le1 − k β < p ≤ 1 , define
α r , k ( p ) : = r k [ ∏ j = 1 k Γ ( j β + p / k ) Γ ( ( r − j + 1 ) β ) Γ ( j β ) Γ ( ( r − j + 1 ) β + p / k ) ] 1 / p (8) \alpha_{r,k}(p) := \frac{r}{k}\left[\prod_{j=1}^{k}\frac{\Gamma(j\beta+ p/k)\Gamma((r-j+1)\beta)}{\Gamma(j\beta)\Gamma((r-j+1)\beta+ p/k)}\right]^{1/p} \tag*{(8)} α r , k ( p ) := k r [ j = 1 ∏ k Γ ( j β ) Γ (( r − j + 1 ) β + p / k ) Γ ( j β + p / k ) Γ (( r − j + 1 ) β ) ] 1/ p (8)
(p ≠ 0 p \ne0 p = 0 ), with continuous value
α r , k ( 0 ) ≔ r k exp ( 1 r ∑ j = 1 k [ ψ ( j β ) − ψ ( ( r − j + 1 ) β ) ] ) . (9) \alpha_{r,k}(0) \coloneqq\frac{r}{k}\exp\left(\frac{1}{r}\sum_{j=1}^{k}\left[\psi(j\beta)-\psi((r-j+1)\beta)\right]\right). \tag*{(9)} α r , k ( 0 ) : = k r exp ( r 1 j = 1 ∑ k [ ψ ( j β ) − ψ (( r − j + 1 ) β ) ] ) . (9)
Its limit as r → ∞ r \to\infty r → ∞ is α k ( p ) \alpha_k(p) α k ( p ) .
Theorem 4.1 (Gaussian rounding) Let A 1 , … , A m ⪰ 0 A_1,\ldots,A_m \succeq0 A 1 , … , A m ⪰ 0 , let w i > 0 w_i > 0 w i > 0 sum to one, and let X ∈ T n X \in\mathcal{T}_n X ∈ T n have rank r ≥ k r \ge k r ≥ k . Let Z Z Z be an n × k n \times k n × k standard Gaussian matrix. For − k β < p ≤ 1 -k\beta< p \le1 − k β < p ≤ 1 , there is a realization of Z Z Z for which the frame P : = G ( G ∗ G ) − 1 / 2 P := G(G^*G)^{-1/2} P := G ( G ∗ G ) − 1/2 , with G : = X 1 / 2 Z G := X^{1/2}Z G := X 1/2 Z , satisfies
Mean p , w [ v A i ( P ) ] ≥ α r , k ( p ) Mean p , w [ f A i ( X ) ] . (10) \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[v_{A_i}(P)] \ge\alpha_{r,k}(p)\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[f_{A_i}(X)]. \tag*{(10)} Mean p , w [ v A i ( P )] ≥ α r , k ( p ) Mean p , w [ f A i ( X )] . (10) The factor obeys α k ( p ) ≤ α r , k ( p ) ≤ 1 \alpha_k(p) \le\alpha_{r,k}(p) \le1 α k ( p ) ≤ α r , k ( p ) ≤ 1 . If r = k r = k r = k , the range of X X X gives factor one for every finite power.
The proof is in Section A.2. Here X X X serves as the covariance of each sampled column; success probabilities are bounded later in Appendix § 9 .
Cauchy–Binet writes each Gaussian numerator det ( G ∗ A i G ) \det(G^*A_iG) det ( G ∗ A i G ) as a nonnegative sum of squared minors. The moment of each term is the same square-Gaussian determinant moment, after its covariance is factored out. Orthonormalizing the sampled columns divides every numerator by the common Gram determinant det ( G ∗ G ) \det(G^*G) det ( G ∗ G ) . At nonzero power, a determinant-weighted probability measure cancels this denominator; at zero, expected logarithms do so. The resulting square and rectangular determinant moments give (4.4).
The change of measure is a proof device. The algorithm draws ordinary Gaussian matrices. Section A supplies a success probability that is polynomially bounded uniformly in the covariance and the input power, away from the negative moment boundary.
The finite-dimensional algorithm
Theorem 4.2 (Finite-dimensional approximation) Fix the field and 0 < δ < 1 0 < \delta< 1 0 < δ < 1 . Let 1 ≤ k < n 1 \le k < n 1 ≤ k < n and let the rational input power satisfy − ( 1 − δ ) k β ≤ p ≤ 1 -(1-\delta)k\beta\le p \le1 − ( 1 − δ ) k β ≤ p ≤ 1 . For rational PSD observations, positive rational weights, and rational ε > 0 \varepsilon> 0 ε > 0 , a randomized algorithm returns, with probability at least 2 / 3 2/3 2/3 , a rationally encoded subspace of value at least
( α n , k ( p ) − ε ) OPT p , k (\alpha_{n,k}(p)-\varepsilon)\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k} ( α n , k ( p ) − ε ) OPT p , k in time polynomial in the complete input bit length and max ( 1 , 1 / ε ) \max(1,1/\varepsilon) max ( 1 , 1/ ε ) .
The proof, including numerical precision, is in Section B.5. The procedure is:
Approximately maximize F F F over T n \mathcal{T}_n T n , with a small positive covariance floor.
Draw independent Gaussian columns with that covariance and keep their span.
Repeat polynomially many times and retain the subspace with the largest computed objective value.
The polynomial det ( I + t X A i ) \det(I+tXA_i) det ( I + tX A i ) gives the required elementary symmetric coefficient and its derivatives, without enumerating the minors used in the analysis. The implementation does not evaluate the Gamma formulas; they appear only in the analysis.
The finite-rank factor is strictly larger than α k ( p ) \alpha_k(p) α k ( p ) except at ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) (k,p)=(1,1) ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) . For k ≥ 2 k\ge2 k ≥ 2 , power-mean monotonicity gives the explicit surplus
α n , k ( p ) α k ( p ) ≥ exp ( k − 1 2 n ) . \frac{\alpha_{n,k}(p)}{\alpha_k(p)} \ge\exp\left(\frac{k-1}{2n}\right). α k ( p ) α n , k ( p ) ≥ exp ( 2 n k − 1 ) .
Together with a separate scalar estimate, this surplus pays for optimization and output precision, yielding the exact factor in Theorem 3.2. As p ↑ 1 p \uparrow1 p ↑ 1 in the scalar case, both the finite-rank surplus α n , 1 ( p ) − α 1 ( p ) \alpha_{n,1}(p)-\alpha_1(p) α n , 1 ( p ) − α 1 ( p ) and the gap 1 − α 1 ( p ) 1-\alpha_1(p) 1 − α 1 ( p ) vanish proportionally to 1 − p 1-p 1 − p . Their cancellation keeps the sample count polynomial in the input bit length.
Matching computational hardness
The approximation factors in § 3 are sharp for each fixed selected dimension and power. The reductions below use equal weights and have perfect completeness: in the YES case, one subspace gives the identity compression for every observation. All parameters in the theorem statements are fixed before the input size grows. We write Mean p \operatorname{Mean}_p Mean p for the equally weighted mean.
Theorem 5.1 (Hardness for p < 1 p<1 p < 1 ). Fix the field, k ≥ 1 k\ge1 k ≥ 1 , a rational p < 1 p<1 p < 1 , and 0 < ε < 1 − α k ( p ) 0<\varepsilon<1-\alpha_k(p) 0 < ε < 1 − α k ( p ) . It is NP-hard to distinguish rational PSD instances with the following properties:
There is P ∈ St ( n , k ) P\in\operatorname{St}(n,k) P ∈ St ( n , k ) with P ∗ A i P = I k P^*A_iP=I_k P ∗ A i P = I k for every i i i .
Every P ∈ St ( n , k ) P\in\operatorname{St}(n,k) P ∈ St ( n , k ) satisfies
Mean p [ ν A 1 ( P ) , … , ν A m ( P ) ] ≤ α k ( p ) + ε . \operatorname{Mean}_p\left[\nu_{A_1}(P),\ldots,\nu_{A_m}(P)\right]\le\alpha_k(p)+\varepsilon. Mean p [ ν A 1 ( P ) , … , ν A m ( P ) ] ≤ α k ( p ) + ε . The observations have rank at most k k k , and their average is an orthogonal projection. The same gap holds when every observation is positive definite, with the rank restriction removed and the average a positive definite contraction.
The proof is in Appendix § 15 .§ 2 ; the rational encoding and positive definite perturbation are in Appendix § 15 .§ 4 . In particular, when p ≤ − k β p\le-k\beta p ≤ − k β the NO bound can be made arbitrarily small, excluding every positive constant approximation factor. Geometric power follows from the positive-power result by continuity and power-mean monotonicity.
Theorem 5.2 (Hardness at p = 1 p=1 p = 1 ). Fix the field, k ≥ 2 k\ge2 k ≥ 2 , and 0 < ε < 1 − α k ( 1 ) 0<\varepsilon<1-\alpha_k(1) 0 < ε < 1 − α k ( 1 ) . It is NP-hard to distinguish rational PSD instances with the following properties:
There is P ∈ St ( n , k ) P \in\operatorname{St}(n,k) P ∈ St ( n , k ) with P ∗ A i P = I k P^{*}A_iP = I_k P ∗ A i P = I k for every i i i .
Every P ∈ St ( n , k ) P \in\operatorname{St}(n,k) P ∈ St ( n , k ) satisfies
1 m ∑ i = 1 m v A i ( P ) ≤ α k ( 1 ) + ε . \frac{1}{m}\sum_{i=1}^{m} v_{A_i}(P) \le\alpha_k(1) + \varepsilon. m 1 i = 1 ∑ m v A i ( P ) ≤ α k ( 1 ) + ε .
The observations have rank at most k k k , and their average is an orthogonal projection. The same gap holds for positive definite observations, with the rank restriction removed and the average a positive definite contraction.
The proof is in Appendix C.3, with the same encoding and perturbation arguments in Appendix C.4. The excluded case k = 1 k = 1 k = 1 , p = 1 p = 1 p = 1 is spectral optimization.
Both proofs begin with the block-subspace promise of Briët, Regev, and Saket [12 ] , in the form given by Ebrahimnejad, Nagda, and Oveis Gharan [18 ] . Randomization over a finite family of rational unitary matrices makes coefficients spread among many coordinates obey a central limit comparison with Gaussian determinant moments. For p < 1 p < 1 p < 1 , subquadratic moments suppress the contribution of the small set of exceptional source blocks, whose coefficients are too concentrated for that comparison. This step fails at p = 1 p = 1 p = 1 : even a small exceptional set may carry all coefficient energy.
The arithmetic reduction takes a fixed number d d d of tensor copies of the source. Each measurement map shares one tensor factor across its output rows and samples the other factors independently in each row. The proof partitions the coefficient indices using the same good and exceptional sets for every choice of shared factor. The resulting Cartesian products partition the coefficient energy. A product with an exceptional independent factor contributes little; the all-good product has the Gaussian factor α k ( 1 ) \alpha_k(1) α k ( 1 ) . A product with one exceptional factor can retain its full energy only when that factor is shared. Averaging the d d d choices bounds soundness by max { α k ( 1 ) , 1 / d } \max\{\alpha_k(1), 1/d\} max { α k ( 1 ) , 1/ d } , up to arbitrary fixed slack. Choosing 1 / d ≤ α k ( 1 ) 1/d \le\alpha_k(1) 1/ d ≤ α k ( 1 ) gives the sharp factor. After the independent replacements, each row is a mixture of centered Gaussian rows. Covariance averaging controls the shared factor with an error uniform in the source block length and all contraction dimensions. Thus the analytic parameters can be fixed before the source theorem supplies its block length.
The reductions are deterministic and polynomial for each fixed ( p , k , ε ) (p,k,\varepsilon) ( p , k , ε ) . Their constant gadgets need not be uniform in these parameters. Hardness at fixed selected dimension nevertheless excludes any improved guarantee valid for arbitrary input dimensions. The promise gaps imply deterministic approximation hardness under P ≠ N P P \ne NP P = N P and randomized feasible-output hardness under N P ≠ R P NP \ne RP N P = R P ; the stated assumption N P ≠ B P P NP \ne BPP N P = B P P suffices for both feasible outputs and bounded-error value estimation. The verification argument, including rational representations of subspaces, is given in Appendix C.4.
Hardness already holds for subspace observations
A rank-k k k observation separates into a scale and its range projection. Identity (5.1) below also connects the hardness theorem to the exact two-observation result in the next section.
Lemma 5.3 (Projective normalization) Let A i ⪰ 0 A_i \succeq0 A i ⪰ 0 have rank k k k , let Π i \Pi_i Π i be its range projector, and put d i : = e k ( A i ) 1 / k > 0 d_i := e_k(A_i)^{1/k} > 0 d i := e k ( A i ) 1/ k > 0 . For p ≠ 0 p \ne0 p = 0 , set S : = ∑ i w i d i p S := \sum_i w_i d_i^p S := ∑ i w i d i p and w ~ i : = w i d i p / S \widetilde{w}_i := w_i d_i^p/S w i := w i d i p / S . Then
Mean p , w [ v A i ( P ) ] = S 1 / p Mean p , w ~ [ v Π i ( P ) ] ( P ∈ St ( n , k ) ) . (11) \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[v_{A_i}(P)] = S^{1/p} \operatorname{Mean}_{p,\widetilde{w}}[v_{\Pi_i}(P)] \qquad(P \in\operatorname{St}(n,k)). \tag*{(11)} Mean p , w [ v A i ( P )] = S 1/ p Mean p , w [ v Π i ( P )] ( P ∈ St ( n , k )) . (11) At p = 0 p = 0 p = 0 , the multiplier is ∏ i d i w i \prod_i d_i^{w_i} ∏ i d i w i and the weights remain unchanged. For rational data and fixed rational p p p , positive rational weights approximate the transformed weights to any prescribed multiplicative precision in polynomial time.
The proof and the rational-weight estimate are in Section C.5. Perfect completeness lets the hardness reduction reject an instance containing a deficient-rank observation immediately. Otherwise all observations already have rank k k k and can be normalized directly.
Theorem 5.4 (Hardness for subspace observations) Fix the field, k k k , and a rational p ≤ 1 p \le1 p ≤ 1 . For every fixed ρ \rho ρ with α k ( p ) < ρ < 1 \alpha_k(p) < \rho< 1 α k ( p ) < ρ < 1 , obtaining a ρ \rho ρ -approximation is NP-hard when all observations are rational rank-k k k orthogonal projections with positive rational weights. At p = 0 p = 0 p = 0 , equal weights suffice. Here α k ( p ) = 0 \alpha_k(p) = 0 α k ( p ) = 0 when p ≤ − k β p \le-k\beta p ≤ − k β , so every positive constant-factor approximation is NP-hard in that range.
The proof is in Section C.5. This transfer concerns approximation ratios; its additional promise properties are discussed in Section C.5.
Exactness for two rank-k k k observations
For a rank-k k k observation A = U D U ∗ A = U D U^* A = U D U ∗ , where U ∈ St ( n , k ) U \in\operatorname{St}(n,k) U ∈ St ( n , k ) and D ≻ 0 D \succ0 D ≻ 0 , put d : = det ( D ) 1 / k = e k ( A ) 1 / k d := \det(D)^{1/k} = e_k(A)^{1/k} d := det ( D ) 1/ k = e k ( A ) 1/ k . Its score and relaxed score satisfy
v A ( P ) = d ∣ det ( U ∗ P ) ∣ 2 / k , f A ( X ) = k d det ( U ∗ X U ) 1 / k . (12) v_A(P) = d \lvert\det(U^*P) \rvert^{2/k}, \qquad f_A(X) = k d \det(U^*XU)^{1/k}. \tag*{(12)} v A ( P ) = d ∣ det ( U ∗ P ) ∣ 2/ k , f A ( X ) = k d det ( U ∗ X U ) 1/ k . (12)
Indeed, the nonzero eigenvalues of A 1 / 2 X A 1 / 2 A^{1/2} X A^{1/2} A 1/2 X A 1/2 are those of D 1 / 2 U ∗ X U D 1 / 2 D^{1/2}U^*XUD^{1/2} D 1/2 U ∗ X U D 1/2 . Setting Y : = k X Y := kX Y := k X gives the relaxed score d det ( U ∗ Y U ) 1 / k d\det(U^*YU)^{1/k} d det ( U ∗ Y U ) 1/ k . Theorem 6.1 below shows that the trace relaxation is exact for two such observations.
Two-view purification
Theorem 6.1 (Two-view purification) Let U 1 , U 2 ∈ St ( n , k ) U_1,U_2 \in\operatorname{St}(n,k) U 1 , U 2 ∈ St ( n , k ) . For every Y ⪰ 0 Y \succeq0 Y ⪰ 0 with tr Y = k \operatorname{tr}Y=k tr Y = k , there is P p u r ∈ St ( n , k ) P_{\mathrm{pur}} \in\operatorname{St}(n,k) P pur ∈ St ( n , k ) such that
∣ det ( U i ∗ P p u r ) ∣ 2 ≥ det ( U i ∗ Y U i ) , i = 1 , 2. (13) \left|\det(U_i^*P_{\mathrm{pur}})\right|^2 \ge\det(U_i^*YU_i), \qquad i=1,2. \tag*{(13)} ∣ det ( U i ∗ P pur ) ∣ 2 ≥ det ( U i ∗ Y U i ) , i = 1 , 2. (13) The construction is deterministic and uses principal vectors and square roots of nonnegative scalars.
Proof. Changing the basis within either observation space leaves these determinants unchanged. The principal-angle decomposition [10 , 27 ] gives k k k mutually orthogonal blocks E j E_j E j of dimension one or two whose orthogonal sum contains both observation spaces. In orthonormal coordinates within these blocks, the columns of U 1 U_1 U 1 and U 2 U_2 U 2 may therefore be taken to be
u j : = e j , v j : = cos ϕ j e j + sin ϕ j f j , 0 ≤ ϕ j ≤ π / 2. u_j := e_j,\qquad v_j := \cos\phi_j e_j+\sin\phi_j f_j,\qquad0\le\phi_j\le\pi/2. u j := e j , v j := cos ϕ j e j + sin ϕ j f j , 0 ≤ ϕ j ≤ π /2.
where ϕ j \phi_j ϕ j is the j j j th principal angle. When ϕ j = 0 \phi_j=0 ϕ j = 0 , the block is the line spanned by e j e_j e j ; otherwise its basis is e j , f j e_j,f_j e j , f j . Let C j C_j C j be the compression of Y Y Y to E j E_j E j and put t j : = tr C j t_j := \operatorname{tr}C_j t j := tr C j . Orthogonality of the blocks gives ∑ j t j ≤ tr Y = k \sum_j t_j\le\operatorname{tr}Y=k ∑ j t j ≤ tr Y = k ; they need not span the ambient space. If some t j = 0 t_j=0 t j = 0 , both target determinants in (13) vanish, so any frame suffices.
Otherwise, in a two-dimensional block take
w j : = ( C j ) 11 / t j e j + ( C j ) 22 / t j f j . w_j := \sqrt{(C_j)_{11}/t_j}\,e_j+\sqrt{(C_j)_{22}/t_j}\,f_j. w j := ( C j ) 11 / t j e j + ( C j ) 22 / t j f j .
Positivity gives Re ( C j ) 12 ≤ ( C j ) 11 ( C j ) 22 \operatorname{Re}(C_j)_{12}\le\sqrt{(C_j)_{11}(C_j)_{22}} Re ( C j ) 12 ≤ ( C j ) 11 ( C j ) 22 , and hence
∣ u j ∗ w j ∣ 2 = u j ∗ C j u j t j , ∣ v j ∗ w j ∣ 2 ≥ v j ∗ C j v j t j . \left|u_j^*w_j\right|^2=\frac{u_j^*C_ju_j}{t_j},\qquad
\left|v_j^*w_j\right|^2\ge\frac{v_j^*C_jv_j}{t_j}. u j ∗ w j 2 = t j u j ∗ C j u j , v j ∗ w j 2 ≥ t j v j ∗ C j v j .
In a one-dimensional block take w j : = e j w_j:=e_j w j := e j . The columns w j w_j w j form an orthonormal frame P p u r P_{\mathrm{pur}} P pur . Because w j ∈ E j w_j\in E_j w j ∈ E j and the blocks are orthogonal, both U 1 ∗ P p u r U_1^*P_{\mathrm{pur}} U 1 ∗ P pur and U 2 ∗ P p u r U_2^*P_{\mathrm{pur}} U 2 ∗ P pur are diagonal. Hadamard’s inequality, the overlap bounds above, and AM–GM ( ∏ j t j ≤ 1 ) (\prod_j t_j\le1) ( ∏ j t j ≤ 1 ) now give
det ( U 1 ∗ Y U 1 ) ≤ ∏ j u j ∗ C j u j ≤ ( ∏ j t j ) ∣ det ( U 1 ∗ P p u r ) ∣ 2 ≤ ∣ det ( U 1 ∗ P p u r ) ∣ 2 . \det(U_1^*YU_1)\le\prod_j u_j^*C_ju_j\le\left(\prod_j t_j\right)\left|\det(U_1^*P_{\mathrm{pur}})\right|^2\le\left|\det(U_1^*P_{\mathrm{pur}})\right|^2. det ( U 1 ∗ Y U 1 ) ≤ j ∏ u j ∗ C j u j ≤ ( j ∏ t j ) ∣ det ( U 1 ∗ P pur ) ∣ 2 ≤ ∣ det ( U 1 ∗ P pur ) ∣ 2 .
The same argument applies to U 2 U_2 U 2 . Optionally, if the angle of w j w_j w j from e j e_j e j exceeds ϕ j \phi_j ϕ j , replace w j w_j w j by v j v_j v j ; both overlaps increase. Thus all output block angles may be chosen in [ 0 , ϕ j ] [0,\phi_j] [ 0 , ϕ j ] . □ \square □
The argument covers common directions, orthogonal directions and vanishing compressed determinants, over either field. Exactness uses the rank-k k k structure of both observations. Our hardness reductions use many observations and leave unresolved whether hardness already holds for three.
Exact objectives and efficient relative accuracy
Corollary 6.2 (Exactness for increasing aggregates). Let A 1 , A 2 ⪰ 0 A_1,A_2 \succeq0 A 1 , A 2 ⪰ 0 have rank k k k , with range frames U 1 , U 2 U_1,U_2 U 1 , U 2 and d i : = e k ( A i ) 1 / k d_i := e_k(A_i)^{1/k} d i := e k ( A i ) 1/ k . For every coordinatewise increasing G : [ 0 , ∞ ) 2 → R G:[0,\infty)^2 \to\mathbb{R} G : [ 0 , ∞ ) 2 → R ,
sup P ∈ S t ( n , k ) G ( v A 1 ( P ) , v A 2 ( P ) ) = sup Y ⪰ 0 tr Y = k G ( d 1 det ( U 1 ∗ Y U 1 ) 1 / k , d 2 det ( U 2 ∗ Y U 2 ) 1 / k ) . (14) \sup_{P \in\mathrm{St}(n,k)} G(v_{A_1}(P),v_{A_2}(P))
=
\sup_{\substack{Y \succeq0\\ \operatorname{tr}Y=k}} G\left(d_1\det(U_1^*YU_1)^{1/k},d_2\det(U_2^*YU_2)^{1/k}\right). \tag*{(14)} P ∈ St ( n , k ) sup G ( v A 1 ( P ) , v A 2 ( P )) = Y ⪰ 0 tr Y = k sup G ( d 1 det ( U 1 ∗ Y U 1 ) 1/ k , d 2 det ( U 2 ∗ Y U 2 ) 1/ k ) . (14) If G G G is upper semicontinuous, both suprema are attained. For G = Mean p , w G=\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w} G = Mean p , w and every finite rational p ≤ 1 p\leq1 p ≤ 1 , rational input admits a deterministic algorithm returning a rationally encoded subspace of value at least ( 1 − ε ) OPT p , k (1-\varepsilon)\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k} ( 1 − ε ) OPT p , k , for every rational 0 < ε < 1 0<\varepsilon<1 0 < ε < 1 . Its time is polynomial in the complete input bit length, including that of p p p , and in log ( 1 / ε ) \log(1/\varepsilon) log ( 1/ ε ) .
The proof is in Section D.1, with the complete numerical argument in Section D.2.
Identity (6.3) uses only monotonicity of the aggregate; concavity is needed for the algorithm. The algorithm has no negative-moment restriction.
Martin means of subspaces
For observed frames U i ∈ S t ( n , k ) U_i \in\mathrm{St}(n,k) U i ∈ St ( n , k ) , the Martin objective is
L ( P ) : = − ∑ i w i log ∣ det ( U i ∗ P ) ∣ 2 , P ∈ S t ( n , k ) . (15) \mathcal{L}(P):=-\sum_i w_i\log\left|\det(U_i^*P)\right|^2,\qquad P\in\mathrm{St}(n,k). \tag*{(15)} L ( P ) := − i ∑ w i log ∣ det ( U i ∗ P ) ∣ 2 , P ∈ St ( n , k ) . (15)
The squared determinant is the product of the squared cosines of the principal angles between the two subspaces. A zero positive-weight overlap gives infinite loss. This is the finite-dimensional squared-Martin objective used in [60 ] , with origins in stochastic systems [16 , 36 ] . We optimize over the whole Grassmannian, without ARMA realization constraints.
Writing Π i : = U i U i ∗ \Pi_i:=U_iU_i^* Π i := U i U i ∗ gives L ( P ) = − k log Mean 0 , w [ v Π i ( P ) ] \mathcal{L}(P)=-k\log\operatorname{Mean}_{0,w}[v_{\Pi_i}(P)] L ( P ) = − k log Mean 0 , w [ v Π i ( P )] . Consequently the general approximation theorem supplies an additive guarantee, while two-view purification yields an explicit optimum for two observations.
Additive approximation
Projection observations permit a useful dimension reduction. If V i V_i V i and Q Q Q are orthogonal-complement frames for U i U_i U i and P P P , respectively, then
∣ det ( U i ∗ P ) ∣ 2 = ∣ det ( V i ∗ Q ) ∣ 2 . (16) \left|\det(U_i^*P)\right|^2=\left|\det(V_i^*Q)\right|^2. \tag*{(16)} ∣ det ( U i ∗ P ) ∣ 2 = ∣ det ( V i ∗ Q ) ∣ 2 . (16)
For a unitary matrix, a minor and its complementary minor have equal modulus, by Jacobi’s identity [28 ] . Applying this to [ U i V i ] ∗ [ P Q ] [U_i\ V_i]^*[P\ Q] [ U i V i ] ∗ [ P Q ] gives (7.2), including singular overlaps. Thus the loss is unchanged on complementing all subspaces, and the Gaussian-rounding algorithm can work in dimension s : = min ( k , n − k ) s := \min(k, n-k) s := min ( k , n − k ) .
Theorem 7.1 (Dimension-free Martin approximation). Let 1 ≤ k < n 1 \le k < n 1 ≤ k < n and s : = min ( k , n − k ) s := \min(k, n-k) s := min ( k , n − k ) .
For rationally encoded observations and positive rational weights, a randomized polynomial-time algorithm returns, with probability at least 2 / 3 2/3 2/3 ,
L ( P ) ≤ min R L ( R ) + Δ s , Δ s : = − s log α s ( 0 ) = s log ( s β ) − ∑ j = 1 s ψ ( j β ) . (17) \mathcal{L}(\mathrm{P}) \le\min_R \mathcal{L}(R) + \Delta_s,\qquad\Delta_s := -s \log\alpha_s(0) = s\log(s\beta) - \sum_{j=1}^{s} \psi(j\beta). \tag*{(17)} L ( P ) ≤ R min L ( R ) + Δ s , Δ s := − s log α s ( 0 ) = s log ( s β ) − j = 1 ∑ s ψ ( j β ) . (17) For fixed k k k and 0 < ε < Δ k 0 < \varepsilon< \Delta_k 0 < ε < Δ k , obtaining additive error Δ k − ε \Delta_k - \varepsilon Δ k − ε uniformly over ambient dimension is NP-hard, even with equal weights.
For rationally encoded observations, positive rational weights, and rational ε > 0 \varepsilon> 0 ε > 0 , a randomized algorithm attains
L ( P ) ≤ min R L ( R ) + Δ s , n + ε , (18) \mathcal{L}(\mathrm{P}) \le\min_R \mathcal{L}(R) + \Delta_{s,n} + \varepsilon, \tag*{(18)} L ( P ) ≤ R min L ( R ) + Δ s , n + ε , (18) where
Δ s , n : = − s log α n , s ( 0 ) = s log ( s / n ) + ∑ j = 1 s [ ψ ( ( n − j + 1 ) β ) − ψ ( j β ) ] . (19) \Delta_{s,n} := -s \log\alpha_{n,s}(0) = s\log(s/n) + \sum_{j=1}^{s} [\psi((n-j+1)\beta) - \psi(j\beta)]. \tag*{(19)} Δ s , n := − s log α n , s ( 0 ) = s log ( s / n ) + j = 1 ∑ s [ ψ (( n − j + 1 ) β ) − ψ ( j β )] . (19) Its time is polynomial in the input bit length and max ( 1 , 1 / ε ) \max(1, 1/\varepsilon) max ( 1 , 1/ ε ) , and its success probability is at least 2 / 3 2/3 2/3 .
The proof is in Section D.3. The finite-dimensional statement is a guarantee of the Gaussian-rounding algorithm in the smaller projection dimension. The hardness assertion concerns improving Δ k \Delta_k Δ k with k k k fixed and ambient dimension growing.
An explicit two-view mean
Use the principal vectors u j u_j u j , v j v_j v j and blocks E j E_j E j from the proof of Theorem 6.1 .
Proposition 7.2 (Two-view Martin mean). For two observations with principal angles ϕ j ∈ [ 0 , π / 2 ] \phi_j \in[0,\pi/2] ϕ j ∈ [ 0 , π /2 ] and positive weights w , 1 − w w,1-w w , 1 − w , a global minimum is attained at the subspace spanned by e j e_j e j in each common line and by cos θ j e j + sin θ j f j \cos\theta_j e_j + \sin\theta_j f_j cos θ j e j + sin θ j f j in each two-dimensional principal block. For 0 < ϕ j < π / 2 0 < \phi_j < \pi/2 0 < ϕ j < π /2 ,
tan θ j = 2 ( 1 − w ) tan ϕ j 1 + 1 + 4 w ( 1 − w ) tan 2 ϕ j . (20) \tan\theta_j = \frac{2(1-w)\tan\phi_j}{1+\sqrt{1+4w(1-w)\tan^2\phi_j}}. \tag*{(20)} tan θ j = 1 + 1 + 4 w ( 1 − w ) tan 2 ϕ j 2 ( 1 − w ) tan ϕ j . (20) At ϕ j = 0 \phi_j = 0 ϕ j = 0 take θ j = 0 \theta_j = 0 θ j = 0 ; at ϕ j = π / 2 \phi_j = \pi/2 ϕ j = π /2 take cos 2 θ j = w \cos^2\theta_j = w cos 2 θ j = w . Equal weights give principal-angle midpoints.
The proof in Section D.4 uses two-view purification to restrict to principal blocks and then maximizes one strictly concave logarithmic function in each block. Thus the same relaxation supports sharp general approximation and an explicit global solution in the two-view case.
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Gaussian determinant rounding
We prove Theorem 4.1 and the ordinary-sampling estimates used by the algorithms. All Gaussian normalizations are those of Section 2.
Numerator and Gram determinant moments
For a square standard Gaussian matrix H ∈ F k × k H \in\mathbb{F}^{k \times k} H ∈ F k × k , put
D k , β ( u ) : = E ∣ det H ∣ 2 u = β − k u ∏ j = 1 k Γ ( j β + u ) Γ ( j β ) , u > − β . (21) D_{k,\beta}(u) := \mathbb{E}|\det H|^{2u} = \beta^{-ku} \prod_{j=1}^{k} \frac{\Gamma(j\beta+u)}{\Gamma(j\beta)}, \qquad u > -\beta. \tag*{(21)} D k , β ( u ) := E ∣ det H ∣ 2 u = β − k u j = 1 ∏ k Γ ( j β ) Γ ( j β + u ) , u > − β . (21)
For Z ∈ F r × k Z \in\mathbb{F}^{r \times k} Z ∈ F r × k , r ≥ k r \ge k r ≥ k , the rectangular moment is defined for u > − ( r − k + 1 ) β u > -(r-k+1)\beta u > − ( r − k + 1 ) β by
R r , k , β ( u ) : = E det ( Z ∗ Z / r ) u = ( r β ) − k u ∏ j = 1 k Γ ( ( r − j + 1 ) β + u ) Γ ( ( r − j + 1 ) β ) . (22) R_{r,k,\beta}(u) := \mathbb{E}\det(Z^{*}Z/r)^u = (r\beta)^{-ku} \prod_{j=1}^{k} \frac{\Gamma((r-j+1)\beta+u)}{\Gamma((r-j+1)\beta)}. \tag*{(22)} R r , k , β ( u ) := E det ( Z ∗ Z / r ) u = ( r β ) − k u j = 1 ∏ k Γ (( r − j + 1 ) β ) Γ (( r − j + 1 ) β + u ) . (22)
These are Bartlett’s real and complex Gram determinant formulas [20 , 23 ] . Each Gram determinant is a product of independent Gamma variables, with shape parameters ( r − j + 1 ) β (r-j+1)\beta ( r − j + 1 ) β and rate β \beta β .
Lemma A.1 Let A , X ⪰ 0 A, X \succeq0 A , X ⪰ 0 , G : = X 1 / 2 Z G := X^{1/2}Z G := X 1/2 Z , and suppose
C A ( X ) : = e k ( A 1 / 2 X A 1 / 2 ) > 0. C_A(X) := e_k(A^{1/2}XA^{1/2}) > 0. C A ( X ) := e k ( A 1/2 X A 1/2 ) > 0. Then
E det ( G ∗ A G ) u { ≥ D k , β ( u ) C A ( X ) u , 0 < u ≤ 1 , ≤ D k , β ( u ) C A ( X ) u , − β < u < 0. (23) \mathbb{E}\det(G^{*}AG)^u
\begin{cases}
\ge D_{k,\beta}(u)C_A(X)^u, & 0 < u \le1,\\
\le D_{k,\beta}(u)C_A(X)^u, & -\beta< u < 0.
\end{cases} \tag*{(23)} E det ( G ∗ A G ) u { ≥ D k , β ( u ) C A ( X ) u , ≤ D k , β ( u ) C A ( X ) u , 0 < u ≤ 1 , − β < u < 0. (23) Moreover,
E log det ( G ∗ A G ) ≥ log C A ( X ) + ∑ j = 1 k ψ ( j β ) − k log β . (24) \mathbb{E}\log\det(G^{*}AG) \ge\log C_A(X) + \sum_{j=1}^{k}\psi(j\beta) - k\log\beta. \tag*{(24)} E log det ( G ∗ A G ) ≥ log C A ( X ) + j = 1 ∑ k ψ ( j β ) − k log β . (24)
Proof. For each k k k -element coordinate set I I I , let B I B_I B I be the corresponding rows of A 1 / 2 A^{1/2} A 1/2 . Cauchy–Binet gives
det ( G ∗ A G ) = ∑ ∣ I ∣ = k ∣ det ( B I G ) ∣ 2 , C A ( X ) = ∑ ∣ I ∣ = k det ( B I X B I ∗ ) . \det(G^*AG)=\sum_{|I|=k}\left|\det(B_IG)\right|^2,\qquad C_A(X)=\sum_{|I|=k}\det(B_IXB_I^*). det ( G ∗ A G ) = ∣ I ∣ = k ∑ ∣ det ( B I G ) ∣ 2 , C A ( X ) = ∣ I ∣ = k ∑ det ( B I X B I ∗ ) .
If c I : = det ( B I X B I ∗ ) > 0 c_I:=\det(B_IXB_I^*)>0 c I := det ( B I X B I ∗ ) > 0 , the term ∣ det ( B I G ) ∣ 2 / c I \left|\det(B_IG)\right|^2/c_I ∣ det ( B I G ) ∣ 2 / c I has the square Gaussian determinant law. Terms with c I = 0 c_I=0 c I = 0 vanish almost surely. Thus
det ( G ∗ A G ) = C A ( X ) ∑ I θ I D I , θ I : = c I / C A ( X ) , ∑ I θ I = 1 , \det(G^*AG)=C_A(X)\sum_I\theta_ID_I,\qquad\theta_I:=c_I/C_A(X),\qquad\sum_I\theta_I=1, det ( G ∗ A G ) = C A ( X ) I ∑ θ I D I , θ I := c I / C A ( X ) , I ∑ θ I = 1 ,
where every retained D I D_I D I has the law ∣ det H ∣ 2 |\det H|^2 ∣ det H ∣ 2 . Scalar Jensen proves all three assertions. Independence between the minors is unnecessary. One positive term controls the negative logarithmic tail, and a Gaussian norm bound controls the positive tail, so the displayed expected logarithm is finite. □ \square □
Lemma A.2. If X ≻ 0 X\succ0 X ≻ 0 is r × r r\times r r × r , tr X = 1 \operatorname{tr}X=1 tr X = 1 , and u : = p / k u:=p/k u := p / k , then
E det ( Z ∗ X Z ) u { ≤ R r , k , β ( u ) , 0 < p ≤ 1 , ≥ R r , k , β ( u ) , − k β < p < 0. (25) \mathbb{E}\det(Z^*XZ)^u
\begin{cases}
\le R_{r,k,\beta}(u), & 0<p\le1,\\
\ge R_{r,k,\beta}(u), & -k\beta<p<0.
\end{cases} \tag*{(25)} E det ( Z ∗ X Z ) u { ≤ R r , k , β ( u ) , ≥ R r , k , β ( u ) , 0 < p ≤ 1 , − k β < p < 0. (25) Also,
E log det ( Z ∗ X Z ) ≤ − k log ( r β ) + ∑ j = 1 k ψ ( ( r − j + 1 ) β ) . \mathbb{E}\log\det(Z^*XZ)\le-k\log(r\beta)+\sum_{j=1}^{k}\psi((r-j+1)\beta). E log det ( Z ∗ X Z ) ≤ − k log ( r β ) + j = 1 ∑ k ψ (( r − j + 1 ) β ) .
Proof. For fixed Z Z Z , the determinant power is concave in X X X for 0 < p ≤ 1 0<p\le1 0 < p ≤ 1 . For p < 0 p<0 p < 0 , it is convex as the exponential of ( p / k ) log det ( Z ∗ X Z ) (p/k)\log\det(Z^*XZ) ( p / k ) log det ( Z ∗ X Z ) , a convex function. After expectation, Gaussian invariance makes the function unitarily invariant. Its value is therefore unchanged by conjugating X X X by any permutation of its eigenbasis. The average of these conjugates is I r / r I_r/r I r / r ; Jensen bounds the value at X X X by the value there, with the appropriate direction for each power. Log-determinant concavity gives the last assertion by the same averaging argument. The moments are finite because X ≻ 0 X\succ0 X ≻ 0 and u > − β u>-\beta u > − β . □ \square □
Proof of the rounding theorem
Proof (of Theorem 4.1). Write C i : = C A i ( X ) C_i:=C_{A_i}(X) C i := C A i ( X ) . If p ≤ 0 p\le0 p ≤ 0 and some C i = 0 C_i=0 C i = 0 , the assertion is immediate. For p > 0 p>0 p > 0 , discard all such zero scores, normalize the remaining weights, and restore their common factor after rounding; if none remain, the assertion is again immediate. We may therefore assume C i > 0 C_i>0 C i > 0 for every retained observation. Work on the range of X X X and draw G : = X 1 / 2 Z G:=X^{1/2}Z G := X 1/2 Z , P : = G ( G ∗ G ) − 1 / 2 P:=G(G^*G)^{-1/2} P := G ( G ∗ G ) − 1/2 . Write N i ( G ) : = det ( G ∗ A i G ) N_i(G):=\det(G^*A_iG) N i ( G ) := det ( G ∗ A i G ) . Then
v A i ( P ) k = N i ( G ) det ( G ∗ G ) . (26) v_{A_i}(P)^k=\frac{N_i(G)}{\det(G^*G)}. \tag*{(26)} v A i ( P ) k = det ( G ∗ G ) N i ( G ) . (26)
For p ≠ 0 p\ne0 p = 0 , put u : = p / k u:=p/k u := p / k and introduce the probability density
ω ( Z ) : = det ( Z ∗ X Z ) u E det ( Z ∗ X Z ) u (27) \omega(Z):=\frac{\det(Z^*XZ)^u}{\mathbb{E}\det(Z^*XZ)^u} \tag*{(27)} ω ( Z ) := E det ( Z ∗ X Z ) u det ( Z ∗ X Z ) u (27)
relative to the ordinary Gaussian law. Under the resulting law ν \nu ν ,
E ν ∑ i w i v A i ( P ) p = ∑ i w i E N i ( G ) u E det ( Z ∗ X Z ) u . \mathbb{E}_{\nu}\sum_i w_i v_{A_i}(P)^p
=\frac{\sum_iw_i\mathbb{E}N_i(G)^u}{\mathbb{E}\det(Z^*XZ)^u}. E ν i ∑ w i v A i ( P ) p = E det ( Z ∗ X Z ) u ∑ i w i E N i ( G ) u .
The two lemmas bound this expression below for p > 0 p>0 p > 0 , and above for p < 0 p<0 p < 0 , by
D k , β ( u ) R r , k , β ( u ) ∑ i w i C i u . \frac{D_{k,\beta}(u)}{R_{r,k,\beta}(u)}\sum_i w_i C_i^u. R r , k , β ( u ) D k , β ( u ) i ∑ w i C i u .
There is therefore a realization of Z Z Z for which the same bound holds. Taking the 1 / p 1/p 1/ p power proves (4.6), with the required reversal when p < 0 p<0 p < 0 , since f A i ( X ) = k C i 1 / k f_{A_i}(X)=kC_i^{1/k} f A i ( X ) = k C i 1/ k . At zero, take expected logarithms in (A.6).
For p > 0 p>0 p > 0 , Jensen applied to Z ∗ Z / r Z^*Z/r Z ∗ Z / r gives R r , k , β ( p / k ) ≤ 1 R_{r,k,\beta}(p/k)\leq1 R r , k , β ( p / k ) ≤ 1 ; the inequality is reversed for p < 0 p<0 p < 0 . The logarithmic assertion follows in the same way. Consequently α r , k ( p ) ≥ α k ( p ) \alpha_{r,k}(p)\geq\alpha_k(p) α r , k ( p ) ≥ α k ( p ) . To obtain the upper bound, apply the existence assertion just proved to A = I r A=I_r A = I r and X = I r / r X=I_r/r X = I r / r . Every frame has score one, whereas f I r ( I r / r ) = ( k / r ) 1 / k ( r k ) 1 / k f_{I_r}(I_r/r)=(k/r)^{1/k}\binom{r}{k}^{1/k} f I r ( I r / r ) = ( k / r ) 1/ k ( k r ) 1/ k . Therefore
α k ( p ) ≤ α r , k ( p ) ≤ r k ( r k ) 1 / k ≤ 1. (28) \alpha_k(p)\leq\alpha_{r,k}(p)\leq\frac{r}{k\binom{r}{k}^{1/k}}\leq1. \tag*{(28)} α k ( p ) ≤ α r , k ( p ) ≤ k ( k r ) 1/ k r ≤ 1. (28)
The last inequality follows by multiplying ( r − j ) / ( k − j ) ≥ r / k (r-j)/(k-j)\geq r/k ( r − j ) / ( k − j ) ≥ r / k for 0 ≤ j < k 0\leq j<k 0 ≤ j < k . Finally, if X = P Λ P ∗ X=P\Lambda P^* X = P Λ P ∗ has rank k k k , then
f A i ( X ) = k det ( Λ ) 1 / k v A i ( P ) ≤ v A i ( P ) , f_{A_i}(X)=k\det(\Lambda)^{1/k}v_{A_i}(P)\leq v_{A_i}(P), f A i ( X ) = k det ( Λ ) 1/ k v A i ( P ) ≤ v A i ( P ) ,
because tr Λ = 1 \operatorname{tr}\Lambda=1 tr Λ = 1 . This proves the final assertion for every finite power, including zero scores.
We now convert guarantees under the tilted law into guarantees for ordinary Gaussian samples. If ν ( E ) ≥ ρ \nu(E)\geq\rho ν ( E ) ≥ ρ and E ω a ≤ C \mathbb{E}\omega^a\leq C E ω a ≤ C , Hölder gives
Pr ( E ) ≥ ρ a / ( a − 1 ) C − 1 / ( a − 1 ) . (29) \Pr(E)\geq\rho^{a/(a-1)}C^{-1/(a-1)}. \tag*{(29)} Pr ( E ) ≥ ρ a / ( a − 1 ) C − 1/ ( a − 1 ) . (29)
We now bound these density moments uniformly in the covariance.
Let D D D have the square Gaussian determinant law and μ : = E D = k ! \mu:=\mathbb{E}D=k! μ := E D = k ! . Cauchy–Binet writes det ( Z ∗ X Z ) = e k ( X ) H X \det(Z^*XZ)=e_k(X)H_X det ( Z ∗ X Z ) = e k ( X ) H X , where H X H_X H X is a convex combination of variables distributed as D D D . In particular E H X = μ \mathbb{E}H_X=\mu E H X = μ . Bartlett’s factorization also gives
D k ! = l a w ∏ j = 1 k Q j , Q j : = γ j j β , γ j ∼ Gamma ( j β , rate 1 ) \frac{D}{k!}\overset{\mathrm{law}}{=}\prod_{j=1}^k Q_j,\qquad Q_j:=\frac{\gamma_j}{j\beta},\qquad\gamma_j\sim\operatorname{Gamma}(j\beta,\text{ rate }1) k ! D = law j = 1 ∏ k Q j , Q j := j β γ j , γ j ∼ Gamma ( j β , rate 1 )
with independent factors. Thus Q j Q_j Q j has mean one and rate j β j\beta j β . We use γ j \gamma_j γ j for the unit-rate Bartlett factors throughout the appendices. Put
T ( t , k ) : = E D t / k ( k ! ) t / k = ∏ j = 1 k E Q j t / k . (30) T(t,k):=\frac{\mathbb{E}D^{t/k}}{(k!)^{t/k}}=\prod_{j=1}^k\mathbb{E}Q_j^{t/k}. \tag*{(30)} T ( t , k ) := ( k ! ) t / k E D t / k = j = 1 ∏ k E Q j t / k . (30)
Lemma A.3 (Covariance-uniform density bounds) Fix 0 < δ < 1 0<\delta<1 0 < δ < 1 . There are constants c = c δ , β > 0 c=c_{\delta,\beta}>0 c = c δ , β > 0 and C = C δ , β ≥ 1 C=C_{\delta,\beta}\geq1 C = C δ , β ≥ 1 , depending only on the field and δ \delta δ , such that, for every covariance rank r ≥ k ≥ 1 r\geq k\geq1 r ≥ k ≥ 1 and − ( 1 − δ ) k β ≤ p ≤ 1 -(1-\delta)k\beta\leq p\leq1 − ( 1 − δ ) k β ≤ p ≤ 1 ,
c ≤ α k ( p ) ≤ α r , k ( p ) ≤ 1. c\leq\alpha_k(p)\leq\alpha_{r,k}(p)\leq1. c ≤ α k ( p ) ≤ α r , k ( p ) ≤ 1. The lower constant c c c may be chosen rational. For the density (A.7),
E ω 2 ≤ 3 c − 2 , p > 0 , (31) \mathbb{E}\omega^2\leq3c^{-2},\qquad p>0, \tag*{(31)} E ω 2 ≤ 3 c − 2 , p > 0 , (31) E ω 1 + δ / 2 ≤ C k , p < 0. (32) \mathbb{E}\omega^{1+\delta/2}\leq Ck,\qquad p<0. \tag*{(32)} E ω 1 + δ /2 ≤ C k , p < 0. (32)
Proof. Each Q j Q_j Q j is distributed as the average of j j j independent copies of Q 1 Q_1 Q 1 . For u < 0 u<0 u < 0 , Jensen gives E Q j u ≤ E Q 1 u \mathbb{E}Q_j^u\leq\mathbb{E}Q_1^u E Q j u ≤ E Q 1 u . Hence, for negative allowed p p p ,
α k ( p ) = ( k ! ) 1 / k k T ( p , k ) 1 / p ≥ e − 1 Mean p / k [ Q 1 ] ≥ e − 1 Mean − ( 1 − δ ) β [ Q 1 ] > 0. \alpha_k(p)=\frac{(k!)^{1/k}}{k}T(p,k)^{1/p}\geq e^{-1}\operatorname{Mean}_{p/k}[Q_1]\geq e^{-1}\operatorname{Mean}_{-(1-\delta)\beta}[Q_1]>0. α k ( p ) = k ( k ! ) 1/ k T ( p , k ) 1/ p ≥ e − 1 Mean p / k [ Q 1 ] ≥ e − 1 Mean − ( 1 − δ ) β [ Q 1 ] > 0.
Here ( k ! ) 1 / k / k ≥ e − 1 (k!)^{1/k}/k\geq e^{-1} ( k ! ) 1/ k / k ≥ e − 1 follows from log ( k ! ) ≥ ∫ 1 k log x d x = k log k − k + 1 \log(k!)\geq\int_1^k\log x\,\mathrm{d}x=k\log k-k+1 log ( k !) ≥ ∫ 1 k log x d x = k log k − k + 1 . Power-mean monotonicity and continuity extend the same bound to p ≥ 0 p\geq0 p ≥ 0 . Choose a positive rational c c c below this fixed constant. The upper bounds follow from (A.8).
For negative p p p , set a : = 1 + δ / 2 a:=1+\delta/2 a := 1 + δ /2 , v : = − a p / k v:=-ap/k v := − a p / k , and v ∗ : = ( 1 − δ / 2 ) β v_*:=(1-\delta/2)\beta v ∗ := ( 1 − δ /2 ) β . Then 0 < v ≤ v ∗ < β ≤ 1 0<v\leq v_*<\beta\leq1 0 < v ≤ v ∗ < β ≤ 1 . Jensen for the mixture, followed by E H X p / k ≥ μ p / k \mathbb{E}H_X^{p/k}\geq\mu^{p/k} E H X p / k ≥ μ p / k , gives
E w a ≤ T ( a p , k ) = ∏ j = 1 k E Q j − v . \mathbb{E}w^a\leq T(ap,k)=\prod_{j=1}^{k}\mathbb{E}Q_j^{-v}. E w a ≤ T ( a p , k ) = j = 1 ∏ k E Q j − v .
For j β > 1 j\beta>1 j β > 1 , concavity of the v v v th power and the Gamma recurrence imply
E Q j − v ≤ ( E Q j − 1 ) v = ( j β j β − 1 ) v . \mathbb{E}Q_j^{-v}\leq\left(\mathbb{E}Q_j^{-1}\right)^v=\left(\frac{j\beta}{j\beta-1}\right)^v. E Q j − v ≤ ( E Q j − 1 ) v = ( j β − 1 j β ) v .
Write j 0 : = 1 / β ∈ { 1 , 2 } j_0:=1/\beta\in\{1,2\} j 0 := 1/ β ∈ { 1 , 2 } . For k ≥ j 0 k\geq j_0 k ≥ j 0 the product of the ratios for j = j 0 + 1 , … , k j=j_0+1,\ldots,k j = j 0 + 1 , … , k is ( k j 0 ) ≤ k j 0 \binom{k}{j_0}\leq k^{j_0} ( j 0 k ) ≤ k j 0 . The remaining factors satisfy E Q j − v ≤ E Q j 0 − v ∗ \mathbb{E}Q_j^{-v}\leq\mathbb{E}Q_{j_0}^{-v_*} E Q j − v ≤ E Q j 0 − v ∗ by Hölder interpolation and Jensen. Thus, with
C : = ∏ j = 1 j 0 E Q j − v ∗ , C:=\prod_{j=1}^{j_0}\mathbb{E}Q_j^{-v_*}, C := j = 1 ∏ j 0 E Q j − v ∗ ,
the product is at most C k j 0 v ≤ C k Ck^{j_0v}\leq Ck C k j 0 v ≤ C k . For k < j 0 k<j_0 k < j 0 , the same bound holds by omitting the absent factors, each of which is at least one. This proves (A.12).
For positive p p p , write u : = p / k u:=p/k u := p / k . If 2 u ≤ 1 2u\leq1 2 u ≤ 1 , Jensen and the numerator mixture estimate give
E w 2 ≤ μ 2 u ( E D u ) 2 = T ( p , k ) − 2 ≤ c − 2 . \mathbb{E}w^2\leq\frac{\mu^{2u}}{(\mathbb{E}D^u)^2}=T(p,k)^{-2}\leq c^{-2}. E w 2 ≤ ( E D u ) 2 μ 2 u = T ( p , k ) − 2 ≤ c − 2 .
Indeed α k ( p ) = [ ( k ! ) 1 / k / k ] T ( p , k ) 1 / p \alpha_k(p)=[(k!)^{1/k}/k]T(p,k)^{1/p} α k ( p ) = [( k ! ) 1/ k / k ] T ( p , k ) 1/ p , so T ( p , k ) ≥ c p ≥ c T(p,k)\geq c^p\geq c T ( p , k ) ≥ c p ≥ c . The remaining case is k = 1 k=1 k = 1 , 1 / 2 < p ≤ 1 1/2<p\leq1 1/2 < p ≤ 1 . Convexity for the mixture and interpolation between its first two moments give E H X 2 p ≤ E D 2 p ≤ ( E D 2 ) 2 p − 1 ≤ 3 \mathbb{E}H_X^{2p}\leq\mathbb{E}D^{2p}\leq(\mathbb{E}D^2)^{2p-1}\leq3 E H X 2 p ≤ E D 2 p ≤ ( E D 2 ) 2 p − 1 ≤ 3 , whereas E H X p ≥ E D p ≥ c \mathbb{E}H_X^p\geq\mathbb{E}D^p\geq c E H X p ≥ E D p ≥ c . This proves (A.11). □ \square □
Success probability, including powers near zero
Assume all relaxed scores f A i ( X ) f_{A_i}(X) f A i ( X ) are positive and X X X maximizes the relaxed objective, with value S ⋆ > 0 S^\star>0 S ⋆ > 0 . Set
Y : = Mean p , w [ v A i ( P ) ] S ⋆ , b : = α r , k ( p ) , L : = − log b . Y:=\frac{\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[v_{A_i}(P)]}{S^\star},\qquad b:=\alpha_{r,k}(p),\qquad L:=-\log b. Y := S ⋆ Mean p , w [ v A i ( P )] , b := α r , k ( p ) , L := − log b .
Exactness at subspaces gives 0 ≤ Y ≤ 1 0\leq Y\leq1 0 ≤ Y ≤ 1 . The rounding proof yields E ν Y p ≥ b p \mathbb{E}_\nu Y^p\geq b^p E ν Y p ≥ b p for p > 0 p>0 p > 0 , E ν Y p ≤ b p \mathbb{E}_\nu Y^p\leq b^p E ν Y p ≤ b p for p < 0 p<0 p < 0 , and E log Y ≥ log b \mathbb{E}\log Y\geq\log b E log Y ≥ log b at zero. For s > 0 s>0 s > 0 , apply these inequalities to the event E : = { Y ≥ b e − s } E:=\{Y\geq be^{-s}\} E := { Y ≥ b e − s } . Bounding Y Y Y by one on E E E gives
ν ( E ) ≥ { e p s − 1 e p ( L + s ) − 1 ≥ s L + s , p > 0 , 1 − e − ∣ p ∣ s 1 − e − ∣ p ∣ ( L + s ) ≥ s L + s , p < 0 , s L + s , p = 0. (33) \nu(E)\geq
\begin{cases}
\dfrac{e^{ps}-1}{e^{p(L+s)}-1}\geq\dfrac{s}{L+s}, & p>0,\\[6pt]
\dfrac{1-e^{-|p|s}}{1-e^{-|p|(L+s)}}\geq\dfrac{s}{L+s}, & p<0,\\[6pt]
\dfrac{s}{L+s}, & p=0.
\end{cases} \tag*{(33)} ν ( E ) ≥ ⎩ ⎨ ⎧ e p ( L + s ) − 1 e p s − 1 ≥ L + s s , 1 − e − ∣ p ∣ ( L + s ) 1 − e − ∣ p ∣ s ≥ L + s s , L + s s , p > 0 , p < 0 , p = 0. (33)
At zero, ν \nu ν denotes the ordinary law. The first lower bound uses 0 < p ≤ 1 0 < p \le1 0 < p ≤ 1 ; the second follows from monotonicity of ( 1 − e − x ) / x (1-e^{-x})/x ( 1 − e − x ) / x . Retaining the denominators makes the estimate uniform as p p p tends to zero.
By Lemma A.3, 0 ≤ L ≤ − log c 0 \le L \le-\log c 0 ≤ L ≤ − log c . With s : = − log ( 1 − ε ) s := -\log(1-\varepsilon) s := − log ( 1 − ε ) and 0 < ε ≤ 1 / 2 0 < \varepsilon\le1/2 0 < ε ≤ 1/2 , the tilted success probability is therefore at least c ′ ε c'\varepsilon c ′ ε , for a fixed c ′ > 0 c' > 0 c ′ > 0 . Combining with (A.9) with the density lemma gives, for negative powers,
Pr { Y ≥ ( 1 − ε ) b } ≥ ( c ′ ε ) 1 + 2 / δ ( C k ) − 2 / δ . (34) \Pr\{Y \ge(1-\varepsilon)b\} \ge(c'\varepsilon)^{1+2/\delta}(Ck)^{-2/\delta}. \tag*{(34)} Pr { Y ≥ ( 1 − ε ) b } ≥ ( c ′ ε ) 1 + 2/ δ ( C k ) − 2/ δ . (34)
For positive powers the lower bound is ( c ′ ε ) 2 c 2 / 3 (c'\varepsilon)^2c^2/3 ( c ′ ε ) 2 c 2 /3 , and at zero it is c ′ ε c'\varepsilon c ′ ε . Thus ordinary independent Gaussian samples suffice with a polynomial count, uniformly in k k k , the input power, and the covariance. Section B extends the argument to approximate relaxed optima and rational samples.
Algorithms and numerical precision
We prove Theorems 4.2 and 3.2. All polynomial bounds may depend on the field and the fixed margin δ \delta δ . We use weak convex optimization with evaluation and separation oracles [24 ] .
Zero scores and a positive optimization scale
If rank A i < k \operatorname{rank} A_i < k rank A i < k , the corresponding volume is identically zero. For p ≤ 0 p \le0 p ≤ 0 , any such positive-weight score makes the optimum zero. For p > 0 p > 0 p > 0 , delete these zero scores and normalize the remaining weights. If their original sum is W > 0 W > 0 W > 0 , the original objective is W 1 / p W^{1/p} W 1/ p times the normalized objective; if W = 0 W = 0 W = 0 , the problem is trivial. The factor W 1 / p W^{1/p} W 1/ p is retained symbolically and cancels from every approximation ratio. Its logarithm need not have polynomial magnitude when p p p is extremely small.
Assume henceforth that every retained A i A_i A i has rank at least k k k and k < n k < n k < n . Write F ( X ) : = Mean p , w [ f A i ( X ) ] F(X) := \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[f_{A_i}(X)] F ( X ) := Mean p , w [ f A i ( X )] and restrict to
T n θ : = { X ⪰ ( θ / n ) I : tr X = 1 } , 0 < θ ≤ 1 / 4. \mathcal{T}_n^\theta:= \{X \succeq(\theta/n)I : \operatorname{tr} X = 1\}, \qquad0 < \theta\le1/4. T n θ := { X ⪰ ( θ / n ) I : tr X = 1 } , 0 < θ ≤ 1/4.
For any X ∈ T n X \in\mathcal{T}_n X ∈ T n , the mixture X θ : = ( 1 − θ ) X + θ I / n X_\theta:= (1-\theta)X + \theta I/n X θ := ( 1 − θ ) X + θ I / n is in T n θ \mathcal{T}_n^\theta T n θ and F ( X θ ) ≥ ( 1 − θ ) F ( X ) F(X_\theta) \ge(1-\theta)F(X) F ( X θ ) ≥ ( 1 − θ ) F ( X ) . Moreover, for X ∈ T n θ X \in\mathcal{T}_n^\theta X ∈ T n θ ,
e k ( A i 1 / 2 X A i 1 / 2 ) ≥ ( θ / n ) k e k ( A i ) > 0. (35) e_k(A_i^{1/2}X A_i^{1/2}) \ge(\theta/n)^k e_k(A_i) > 0. \tag*{(35)} e k ( A i 1/2 X A i 1/2 ) ≥ ( θ / n ) k e k ( A i ) > 0. (35)
A positive rational principal minor gives a polynomial-bit lower bound for e k ( A i ) e_k(A_i) e k ( A i ) ; matrix norm bounds give an upper bound. Thus every relaxed score, and their mean, has a logarithm bounded by a polynomial in the input length and log ( 1 / θ ) \log(1/\theta) log ( 1/ θ ) . In particular S 0 : = F ( I / n ) > 0 S_0 := F(I/n) > 0 S 0 := F ( I / n ) > 0 provides an accessible relative scale.
Lemma B.1 (Logarithmic stability and derivative bounds) For every finite real p p p , positive weights, and positive vectors a , b a,b a , b ,
∣ log Mean p , w [ a ] − log Mean p , w [ b ] ∣ ≤ ∥ log a − log b ∥ ∞ . (36) \left|\log\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[a]-\log\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[b]\right| \le\lVert\log a-\log b\rVert_\infty. \tag*{(36)} ∣ log Mean p , w [ a ] − log Mean p , w [ b ] ∣ ≤ ∥ log a − log b ∥ ∞ . (36)
If a differentiable function F F F on the positive definite cone is Loewner-increasing and homogeneous of degree ρ > 0 \rho> 0 ρ > 0 , then, on X ⪰ a I X \succeq aI X ⪰ a I ,
∇ F ( X ) ⪰ 0 , tr ∇ F ( X ) ≤ ρ F ( X ) a . (37) \nabla F(X) \succeq0, \qquad\operatorname{tr}\nabla F(X) \le\frac{\rho F(X)}{a}. \tag*{(37)} ∇ F ( X ) ⪰ 0 , tr ∇ F ( X ) ≤ a ρF ( X ) . (37)
Proof. The derivative of log Mean p , w \log\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w} log Mean p , w with respect to log a i \log a_i log a i is w i a i p / ∑ j w j a j p w_i a_i^p/\sum_j w_j a_j^p w i a i p / ∑ j w j a j p for p ≠ 0 p \ne0 p = 0 , and w i w_i w i at zero. These derivatives form a probability vector. Integrating along a segment in logarithmic coordinates proves (B.2). Monotonicity gives the PSD gradient, and Euler's identity tr ( X ∇ F ) = ρ F \operatorname{tr}(X\nabla F)=\rho F tr ( X ∇ F ) = ρF gives (B.3).
Our objective has degree one. The lemma bounds its first derivatives using the spectral floor and objective bounds, independently of the magnitude of the power. The needed coefficient e k ( A i 1 / 2 X A i 1 / 2 ) = [ t k ] det ( I + t X A i ) e_k(A_i^{1/2}XA_i^{1/2}) = [t^k]\det(I+tXA_i) e k ( A i 1/2 X A i 1/2 ) = [ t k ] det ( I + tX A i ) is computed by polynomial arithmetic; here [ t k ] [t^k] [ t k ] denotes the coefficient of t k t^k t k . Interpolation at n + 1 n+1 n + 1 rational nodes recovers every coefficient with polynomial bit complexity. Directional derivatives are obtained from
d d h det ( I + t ( X + h H ) A i ) ∣ h = 0 = t tr ( adj ( I + t X A i ) H A i ) . \left.\frac{d}{dh}\det(I+t(X+hH)A_i)\right|_{h=0}
= t\operatorname{tr}\left(\operatorname{adj}(I+tXA_i)HA_i\right). d h d det ( I + t ( X + h H ) A i ) h = 0 = t tr ( adj ( I + tX A i ) H A i ) .
Adjugates and interpolation compute these coefficients without assuming invertibility. The positive lower bounds determine the precision needed for roots, logarithms, and their derivatives.
The constraints defining T n θ T_n^\theta T n θ admit spectral separation. In the affine space tr X = 1 \operatorname{tr} X=1 tr X = 1 , the set contains a ball about I / n I/n I / n of radius ( 1 − θ ) / ( 2 n ) (1-\theta)/(2n) ( 1 − θ ) / ( 2 n ) and has bounded diameter. Weak optimization with the preceding oracles therefore produces rational X ∈ T n θ X\in T_n^\theta X ∈ T n θ with
F ( X ) ≥ max T n θ F − θ S 0 ≥ ( 1 − 2 θ ) max T n F . F(X)\geq\max_{T_n^\theta}F-\theta S_0\geq(1-2\theta)\max_{T_n}F. F ( X ) ≥ T n θ max F − θ S 0 ≥ ( 1 − 2 θ ) T n max F .
Certified interval evaluation of S 0 S_0 S 0 supplies a positive rational lower scale. The deterministic optimization cost is polynomial in the input length, log ( 1 / θ ) \log(1/\theta) log ( 1/ θ ) , and the logarithm of the inverse requested relative accuracy. Using smaller internal tolerances permits a final mixture with I / n I/n I / n before rational rounding, preserving the trace and the positive floor within the stated error budget. The logarithmic dependence on accuracy is needed below when 1 − p 1-p 1 − p is exponentially small in its encoding length.
Evaluating rational powers
For positive relaxed scores put ℓ i : = log f i \ell_i:=\log f_i ℓ i := log f i and evaluate
log Mean p , w [ f ] = a + 1 p log ( ∑ i w i e p ( ℓ i − a ) ) . (38) \log\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[f]
= a+\frac{1}{p}\log\left(\sum_i w_i e^{p(\ell_i-a)}\right). \tag*{(38)} log Mean p , w [ f ] = a + p 1 log ( i ∑ w i e p ( ℓ i − a ) ) . (38)
At zero use ∑ i w i ℓ i \sum_i w_i\ell_i ∑ i w i ℓ i . Near zero, a centered series, or extra precision for the logarithm near one, avoids cancellation. The additional precision is proportional to log ( 1 / ∣ p ∣ ) \log(1/|p|) log ( 1/∣ p ∣ ) , bounded by the input bit length. For negative p p p , choose a : = min i ℓ i a:=\min_i\ell_i a := min i ℓ i ; the exponential arguments are nonpositive and their weighted sum lies between w min w_{\min} w m i n and one. Terms below the requested tolerance may be discarded. Even if ∣ p ∣ |p| ∣ p ∣ is large, only O ( log ∣ p ∣ ) O(\log|p|) O ( log ∣ p ∣ ) additional operand bits are needed. The same centering evaluates the probability weights in the gradient. Since p ≤ 1 p\leq1 p ≤ 1 , positive exponents introduce no additional dependence on a large power. These procedures, together with the preceding polynomial logarithmic bounds, give evaluation and gradient oracles to any specified polynomial-bit accuracy.
Success from an approximate optimum
Let S ⋆ : = max T n F S^\star:=\max_{T_n}F S ⋆ := max T n F and q : = F ( X ) / S ⋆ ≥ 1 − 2 θ q:=F(X)/S^\star\geq1-2\theta q := F ( X ) / S ⋆ ≥ 1 − 2 θ . For the normalized rounded value
Y : = Mean p , w [ v A i ( P ) ] / S ⋆ Y:=\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[v_{A_i}(P)]/S^\star Y := Mean p , w [ v A i ( P )] / S ⋆
one still has 0 ≤ Y ≤ 1 0\leq Y\leq1 0 ≤ Y ≤ 1 . The moment estimates in (A.13) use b q bq b q in place of b : = α n , k ( p ) b:=\alpha_{n,k}(p) b := α n , k ( p ) . Since − log ( b q ) ≤ − log c δ , β − log ( 1 − 2 θ ) -\log(bq)\leq-\log c_{\delta,\beta}-\log(1-2\theta) − log ( b q ) ≤ − log c δ , β − log ( 1 − 2 θ ) , the same inverse-polynomial success bounds apply. Choose optimization and sampling losses to be sufficiently small constant multiples of the requested factor slack. Independent repetition gives a candidate of value at least ( α n , k ( p ) − ϵ / 2 ) S ⋆ (\alpha_{n,k}(p)-\epsilon/2)S^\star ( α n , k ( p ) − ϵ /2 ) S ⋆ with probability at least 5 / 6 5/6 5/6 . The algorithm does not use the unknown S ⋆ S^\star S ⋆ ; it compares objective values and retains the largest.
Small-determinant bounds and numerical precision
For square standard Gaussian H ∈ F k × k H \in\mathbb{F}^{k \times k} H ∈ F k × k , Bartlett gives ∣ det H ∣ 2 = β − k ∏ j = 1 k γ j |\det H|^2 = \beta^{-k} \prod_{j=1}^{k} \gamma_j ∣ det H ∣ 2 = β − k ∏ j = 1 k γ j in distribution, with independent unit-rate factors γ j ∼ Gamma ( j β , rate 1 ) \gamma_j \sim\operatorname{Gamma}(j\beta,\text{ rate }1) γ j ∼ Gamma ( j β , rate 1 ) . Each γ j \gamma_j γ j stochastically dominates γ 1 \gamma_1 γ 1 . Consequently
Pr { ∣ det H ∣ 2 < t k } ≤ C β k t β , C β : = β β Γ ( β + 1 ) , 0 < t ≤ 1. (39) \Pr\{|\det H|^2 < t^k\} \le C_\beta k t^\beta,\qquad C_\beta:= \frac{\beta^\beta}{\Gamma(\beta+1)},\qquad0 < t \le1. \tag*{(39)} Pr { ∣ det H ∣ 2 < t k } ≤ C β k t β , C β := Γ ( β + 1 ) β β , 0 < t ≤ 1. (39)
Indeed, a product below t k t^k t k has some γ j < β t \gamma_j < \beta t γ j < β t ; integrate the Gamma density bound for that factor and take a union bound.
For observation A i A_i A i , the Cauchy–Binet expansion in Lemma A.1 has at most J : = ( n k ) ≤ 2 n J := \binom{n}{k} \le2^n J := ( k n ) ≤ 2 n terms and total covariance coefficient C i : = e k ( A i 1 / 2 X A i 1 / 2 ) C_i := e_k(A_i^{1/2} X A_i^{1/2}) C i := e k ( A i 1/2 X A i 1/2 ) . One coefficient is at least C i / J C_i/J C i / J . Marginally, its squared minor is that coefficient times ∣ det H ∣ 2 |\det H|^2 ∣ det H ∣ 2 . Therefore
Pr { det ( G ∗ A i G ) < ( C i / J ) t k } ≤ C β k t β . \Pr\{\det(G^* A_i G) < (C_i/J)t^k\} \le C_\beta k t^\beta. Pr { det ( G ∗ A i G ) < ( C i / J ) t k } ≤ C β k t β .
No term needs to be found by the algorithm. The floor and (B.1) give a lower bound for C i C_i C i with polynomial-bit logarithm. The same reasoning applies to the Gram denominator by taking A i = I n A_i = I_n A i = I n .
A union bound over all observations and all samples, together with Gaussian entry tails, gives an event of probability at least 1 − ζ 1-\zeta 1 − ζ on which every relevant determinant exceeds 2 − B 2^{-B} 2 − B and all matrix norms are below 2 B 2^B 2 B , where B B B is polynomial in the input length, log ( 1 / θ ) \log(1/\theta) log ( 1/ θ ) , log ( 1 / ζ ) \log(1/\zeta) log ( 1/ ζ ) , and the logarithm of the sample count. Independence between observation determinants is unnecessary. For the Gram matrix, also use
λ min ( G ∗ G ) ≥ det ( G ∗ G ) ∥ G ∗ G ∥ o p k − 1 . \lambda_{\min}(G^*G) \ge\frac{\det(G^*G)}{\lVert G^*G\rVert_{\mathrm{op}}^{k-1}}. λ m i n ( G ∗ G ) ≥ ∥ G ∗ G ∥ op k − 1 det ( G ∗ G ) .
Determinant multilinearity and these conditioning bounds show that polynomial-bit approximations to X 1 / 2 X^{1/2} X 1/2 and to the Gaussian entries preserve rank and approximate every positive volume to any specified relative tolerance, with precision polynomial in the logarithm of its inverse. A truncated inverse Gaussian distribution function applied to finite uniform binary strings supplies such rational samples. Outside the tail event already included in the failure budget above, that inverse has an exponentially bounded derivative. Polynomially many uniform bits therefore suffice to approximate each entry to the required absolute tolerance, under a coupling with an exact Gaussian sample. Certified square-root approximation on the spectral interval [ θ / n , 1 ] [\theta/n,1] [ θ / n , 1 ] has the same polynomial precision bound.
Lemma B.1 transfers the relative score accuracy to the objective uniformly in the power. A rational output basis R R R is evaluated by
ν A i ( range R ) k = det ( R ∗ A i R ) det ( R ∗ R ) . (40) \nu_{A_i}(\operatorname{range} R)^k = \frac{\det(R^* A_i R)}{\det(R^*R)}. \tag*{(40)} ν A i ( range R ) k = det ( R ∗ R ) det ( R ∗ A i R ) . (40)
Both determinants are rational. Thus the algorithm needs no exact irrational orthonormalization. The same conditioning bounds give relative score evaluation. Selecting the largest approximate value loses at most twice the evaluation tolerance in logarithmic scale.
Finite-dimensional approximation
Proof (of Theorem 4.2 ). Cases with identically zero optimum were handled above. We may replace ε \varepsilon ε internally by min ( ε , ε 5 , β / 4 ) \min(\varepsilon,\varepsilon_5,\beta/4) min ( ε , ε 5 , β /4 ) ; this costs only a fixed factor in the stated complexity and makes all intermediate guarantees positive. Regularization makes the relaxed covariance full rank, so Theorem 4.1 supplies α n , k ( p ) \alpha_{n,k}(p) α n , k ( p ) . Approximately maximize F F F , draw the polynomial number of ordinary Gaussian samples supplied by (A.14) and its nonnegative-power counterpart, and retain the best computed subspace. Allocate half of the factor slack to optimization and sampling, and half to discretization and selection. Set the total coupling failure to at most 1 / 6 1/6 1/6 . The ideal sampling failure is at most 1 / 6 1/6 1/6 , so the success probability is at least 2 / 3 2/3 2/3 . All precisions are polynomial in the complete input length and log ( 1 / ε ) \log(1/\varepsilon) log ( 1/ ε ) ; the sample count is polynomial in the input length and max ( 1 , 1 / ε ) \max(1,1/\varepsilon) max ( 1 , 1/ ε ) . Since S ⋆ ≥ OPT p , k S^\star\geq\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k} S ⋆ ≥ OPT p , k , the claimed guarantee follows. □ \square □
The strict finite-dimensional margin
For k ≥ 2 k \geq2 k ≥ 2 , let D : = det ( Z ∗ Z / n ) D := \det(Z^\ast Z/n) D := det ( Z ∗ Z / n ) with Z ∈ F n × k Z \in\mathbb{F}^{n \times k} Z ∈ F n × k , and put
g n , k : = ( ∏ j = 1 k n − j + 1 n ) 1 / k . g_{n,k} := \left(\prod_{j=1}^{k} \frac{n-j+1}{n}\right)^{1/k}. g n , k := ( j = 1 ∏ k n n − j + 1 ) 1/ k .
The rectangular moment formula gives E D = g n , k k \mathbb{E}D = g_{n,k}^{k} E D = g n , k k and, including the continuous interpretation at zero,
α n , k ( p ) α k ( p ) = 1 Mean p [ D 1 / k ] . (41) \frac{\alpha_{n,k}(p)}{\alpha_k(p)} = \frac{1}{\operatorname{Mean}_{p}[D^{1/k}]}. \tag*{(41)} α k ( p ) α n , k ( p ) = Mean p [ D 1/ k ] 1 . (41)
Since p ≤ 1 ≤ k p \leq1 \leq k p ≤ 1 ≤ k , power-mean monotonicity gives Mean p [ D 1 / k ] ≤ ( E D ) 1 / k = g n , k \operatorname{Mean}_{p}[D^{1/k}] \leq(\mathbb{E}D)^{1/k} = g_{n,k} Mean p [ D 1/ k ] ≤ ( E D ) 1/ k = g n , k . AM–GM for ( n − j + 1 ) / n (n-j+1)/n ( n − j + 1 ) / n now yields
α n , k ( p ) α k ( p ) ≥ 1 g n , k ≥ 1 1 − ( k − 1 ) / ( 2 n ) ≥ exp ( k − 1 2 n ) . (42) \frac{\alpha_{n,k}(p)}{\alpha_k(p)} \geq\frac{1}{g_{n,k}} \geq\frac{1}{1-(k-1)/(2n)} \geq\exp\left(\frac{k-1}{2n}\right). \tag*{(42)} α k ( p ) α n , k ( p ) ≥ g n , k 1 ≥ 1 − ( k − 1 ) / ( 2 n ) 1 ≥ exp ( 2 n k − 1 ) . (42)
For k = 1 k=1 k = 1 this argument has no strict surplus; a short Gamma estimate supplies the missing quantitative information.
Lemma B.2 (Gamma log-convexity estimate) For x > 0 x>0 x > 0 , t < 1 t<1 t < 1 , and x + t > 0 x+t>0 x + t > 0 ,
log x − log Γ ( x + t ) − log Γ ( x ) t ≥ 1 − t 2 ( x + 1 ) , (43) \log x-\frac{\log\Gamma(x+t)-\log\Gamma(x)}{t}\geq\frac{1-t}{2(x+1)}, \tag*{(43)} log x − t log Γ ( x + t ) − log Γ ( x ) ≥ 2 ( x + 1 ) 1 − t , (43) with the continuous interpretation at t = 0 t=0 t = 0 .
Proof. Put g ( t ) : = log Γ ( x + t ) g(t):=\log\Gamma(x+t) g ( t ) := log Γ ( x + t ) . The trigamma series gives ψ ′ ( y ) = ∑ j = 0 ∞ ( y + j ) − 2 > 1 / y \psi'(y)=\sum_{j=0}^{\infty}(y+j)^{-2}>1/y ψ ′ ( y ) = ∑ j = 0 ∞ ( y + j ) − 2 > 1/ y . On [ min ( t , 0 ) , 1 ] [\min(t,0),1] [ min ( t , 0 ) , 1 ] , therefore, g ′ ′ > 1 / ( x + 1 ) g''>1/(x+1) g ′′ > 1/ ( x + 1 ) , so g ( t ) − t 2 / [ 2 ( x + 1 ) ] g(t)-t^2/[2(x+1)] g ( t ) − t 2 / [ 2 ( x + 1 )] is convex. Interpolate between zero and one when 0 < t < 1 0<t<1 0 < t < 1 , or extrapolate to t < 0 t<0 t < 0 , and use g ( 1 ) − g ( 0 ) = log x g(1)-g(0)=\log x g ( 1 ) − g ( 0 ) = log x . Division by t t t , with its appropriate sign, gives (B.9); take a limit at zero. □ \square □
Taking x : = n β x:=n\beta x := n β and t : = p t:=p t := p , and using e u − 1 ≥ u e^u-1\geq u e u − 1 ≥ u , gives
α n , 1 ( p ) − α 1 ( p ) ≥ α 1 ( p ) ( 1 − p ) n ( 2 β + 1 ) ( n ≥ 2 , − β < p < 1 ) . (44) \alpha_{n,1}(p)-\alpha_1(p)\geq\frac{\alpha_1(p)(1-p)}{n(2\beta+1)} \qquad(n\geq2,\ -\beta<p<1). \tag*{(44)} α n , 1 ( p ) − α 1 ( p ) ≥ n ( 2 β + 1 ) α 1 ( p ) ( 1 − p ) ( n ≥ 2 , − β < p < 1 ) . (44)
Here 2 ( n β + 1 ) ≤ n ( 2 β + 1 ) 2(n\beta+1)\leq n(2\beta+1) 2 ( n β + 1 ) ≤ n ( 2 β + 1 ) .
Scalar attainment uniformly near power one
It remains to justify the last nontrivial case in Theorem 3.2: k = 1 k=1 k = 1 , n ≥ 2 n\geq2 n ≥ 2 , and 1 / 2 ≤ p < 1 1/2\leq p<1 1/2 ≤ p < 1 . Put
s : = 1 − p , b : = α 1 ( p ) , a : = b p , A : = α n , 1 ( p ) p . s:=1-p,\qquad b:=\alpha_1(p),\qquad a:=b^p,\qquad A:=\alpha_{n,1}(p)^p. s := 1 − p , b := α 1 ( p ) , a := b p , A := α n , 1 ( p ) p .
For a mean-one Gamma variable Q Q Q of shape β \beta β , a = E Q p a = \mathbb{E}Q^{p} a = E Q p . Power-mean monotonicity gives b ≥ α 1 ( 1 / 2 ) = 2 / π b \ge\alpha_1(1/2) = 2/\pi b ≥ α 1 ( 1/2 ) = 2/ π over R \mathbb{R} R and π / 4 \pi/4 π /4 over C \mathbb{C} C . In particular a , b > 1 / 2 a,b > 1/2 a , b > 1/2 . Convexity of t ↦ E Q t t \mapsto\mathbb{E}Q^t t ↦ E Q t and its tangent at one imply
1 − a ≤ s E ( Q log Q ) ≤ s E [ Q ( Q − 1 ) ] = s / β ≤ 2 s , (45) 1-a \le s\mathbb{E}(Q\log Q) \le s\mathbb{E}[Q(Q-1)] = s/\beta\le2s, \tag*{(45)} 1 − a ≤ s E ( Q log Q ) ≤ s E [ Q ( Q − 1 )] = s / β ≤ 2 s , (45)
where log Q ≤ Q − 1 \log Q \le Q-1 log Q ≤ Q − 1 was used. For x : = n β x := n\beta x := n β , write r n ( p ) : = x − p Γ ( x + p ) / Γ ( x ) r_n(p) := x^{-p}\Gamma(x+p)/\Gamma(x) r n ( p ) := x − p Γ ( x + p ) /Γ ( x ) , so A = a / r n ( p ) A = a/r_n(p) A = a / r n ( p ) . Put d : = s / ( 24 n ) d := s/(24n) d := s / ( 24 n ) . Lemma B.2 gives
A − a ≥ a p ( 1 − p ) 2 ( n β + 1 ) ≥ s 24 n = d . (46) A-a \ge\frac{ap(1-p)}{2(n\beta+1)} \ge\frac{s}{24n} = d. \tag*{(46)} A − a ≥ 2 ( n β + 1 ) a p ( 1 − p ) ≥ 24 n s = d . (46)
We used weaker bounds a ≥ 1 / 4 a \ge1/4 a ≥ 1/4 , p ≥ 1 / 2 p \ge1/2 p ≥ 1/2 , and β ≤ 1 \beta\le1 β ≤ 1 in the last estimate. By (A.8), A ≤ 1 A \le1 A ≤ 1 , so a + d ≤ 1 a+d \le1 a + d ≤ 1 .
Obtain positive definite rational X X X with q : = F ( X ) / S ⋆ ≥ 1 − d / 4 q := F(X)/S^\star\ge1-d/4 q := F ( X ) / S ⋆ ≥ 1 − d /4 , using a covariance floor proportional to d / n d/n d / n . The optimization precision and iteration count above depend polynomially on log ( 1 / d ) = O ( log n + log ( 1 / ( 1 − p ) ) ) \log(1/d) = O(\log n + \log(1/(1-p))) log ( 1/ d ) = O ( log n + log ( 1/ ( 1 − p ))) , hence on the rational input bit length. For Y : = Mean p , w [ v A i ( P ) ] / S ⋆ Y := \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}[v_{A_i}(P)]/S^\star Y := Mean p , w [ v A i ( P )] / S ⋆ under the determinant tilt, the finite-rank moment estimate gives
E ν Y p ≥ A q p ≥ A ( 1 − d / 4 ) ≥ a + 3 d / 4. \mathbb{E}_{\nu}Y^p \ge Aq^p \ge A(1-d/4) \ge a+3d/4. E ν Y p ≥ A q p ≥ A ( 1 − d /4 ) ≥ a + 3 d /4.
Define T T T only for analysis by T : = ( a + d / 4 ) 1 / p T := (a+d/4)^{1/p} T := ( a + d /4 ) 1/ p . If E : = { Y ≥ T } E := \{Y \ge T\} E := { Y ≥ T } , the bound 0 ≤ Y ≤ 1 0 \le Y \le1 0 ≤ Y ≤ 1 gives
ν ( E ) ≥ d / 2 1 − a − d / 4 ≥ d 2 ( 1 − a ) ≥ 1 96 n . (47) \nu(E) \ge\frac{d/2}{1-a-d/4} \ge\frac{d}{2(1-a)} \ge\frac{1}{96n}. \tag*{(47)} ν ( E ) ≥ 1 − a − d /4 d /2 ≥ 2 ( 1 − a ) d ≥ 96 n 1 . (47)
The factor 1 − p 1-p 1 − p has cancelled. On [ b , 1 ] [b,1] [ b , 1 ] , the derivative of x p x^p x p is at most b − 1 / 2 ≤ 2 b^{-1/2} \le2 b − 1/2 ≤ 2 , whence
T − b ≥ d / 8. (48) T-b \ge d/8. \tag*{(48)} T − b ≥ d /8. (48)
For the ordinary law, diagonalize X X X and write the Gram scalar as D : = ∑ j λ j Q ( j ) D := \sum_j \lambda_j Q^{(j)} D := ∑ j λ j Q ( j ) , where λ j ≥ 0 \lambda_j \ge0 λ j ≥ 0 sum to one and the Q ( j ) Q^{(j)} Q ( j ) are independent copies of Q Q Q . Concavity gives E D p ≥ a ≥ 1 / 2 \mathbb{E}D^p \ge a \ge1/2 E D p ≥ a ≥ 1/2 . Since 1 ≤ 2 p ≤ 2 1 \le2p \le2 1 ≤ 2 p ≤ 2 , convexity and log-convexity of moments give
E D 2 p ≤ E Q 2 p ≤ ( E Q 2 ) 2 p − 1 ≤ 1 + 1 / β ≤ 3. \mathbb{E}D^{2p} \le\mathbb{E}Q^{2p} \le(\mathbb{E}Q^2)^{2p-1} \le1+1/\beta\le3. E D 2 p ≤ E Q 2 p ≤ ( E Q 2 ) 2 p − 1 ≤ 1 + 1/ β ≤ 3.
Thus the tilt W : = D p / E D p W := D^p/\mathbb{E}D^p W := D p / E D p has E W 2 ≤ 12 \mathbb{E}W^2 \le12 E W 2 ≤ 12 , and
Pr ( E ) ≥ ν ( E ) 2 12 ≥ 1 12 ( 96 n ) 2 . \Pr(E) \ge\frac{\nu(E)^2}{12} \ge\frac{1}{12(96n)^2}. Pr ( E ) ≥ 12 ν ( E ) 2 ≥ 12 ( 96 n ) 2 1 .
At least 12 ( 96 n ) 2 log 6 12(96n)^2\log6 12 ( 96 n ) 2 log 6 ordinary samples make failure probability at most 1 / 6 1/6 1/6 , independently of 1 / ( 1 − p ) 1/(1-p) 1/ ( 1 − p ) .
Use the discretization argument above with relative score, basis, and evaluation errors bounded by sufficiently small fixed multiples of d d d , for example d / 128 d/128 d /128 each. The floor, small-minor bound, and sample count require only polynomially many bits in log ( 1 / d ) \log(1/d) log ( 1/ d ) and the input size. The buffer (B.14) absorbs the combined errors in the sampled candidate and selection by approximate values. Take total coupling failure at most 1 / 6 1/6 1/6 . With probability at least 2 / 3 2/3 2/3 , the retained rational line has value at least b S ⋆ ≥ b O P T p , 1 bS^\star\ge b\,\mathrm{OPT}_{p,1} b S ⋆ ≥ b OPT p , 1 . The constants a , A , b , T a,A,b,T a , A , b , T are not evaluated by the algorithm.
Attainment and assembly of the classification
Proof (of Theorem 3.2 ). Lemma A.3 gives a positive rational lower bound c δ , β c_{\delta,\beta} c δ , β for α k ( p ) \alpha_k^{(p)} α k ( p ) , independent of the input. For k ≥ 2 k \ge2 k ≥ 2 , (B.8) gives an additive finite-dimensional margin at least c δ , β / ( 2 n ) c_{\delta,\beta}/(2n) c δ , β / ( 2 n ) . Apply Theorem 4.2 with slack c δ , β / ( 4 n ) c_{\delta,\beta}/(4n) c δ , β / ( 4 n ) . This is polynomial in the complete input length and attains α k ( p ) \alpha_k(p) α k ( p ) . When k = n k=n k = n , return the unique subspace directly. For k = 1 k=1 k = 1 and p ≤ 1 / 2 p \le1/2 p ≤ 1/2 , (B.10) permits slack c δ , β / [ 4 n ( 2 β + 1 ) ] c_{\delta,\beta}/[4n(2\beta+1)] c δ , β / [ 4 n ( 2 β + 1 )] , again with polynomial running time. For 1 / 2 ≤ p < 1 1/2 \le p < 1 1/2 ≤ p < 1 , Section B.7 keeps the sample count O ( n 2 ) O(n^2) O ( n 2 ) and requires precision only polynomial in log n + log ( 1 / ( 1 − p ) ) \log n + \log(1/(1-p)) log n + log ( 1/ ( 1 − p )) . At k = p = 1 k = p = 1 k = p = 1 , the objective is the Rayleigh quotient of ∑ i w i A i \sum_i w_i A_i ∑ i w i A i . An approximation to its top eigenspace gives every prescribed factor below one in the stated running time. Exact eigenvectors are algebraic. Rational exactness already fails for ( 2 1 1 1 ) \begin{pmatrix} 2 & 1 \\ 1 & 1 \end{pmatrix} ( 2 1 1 1 ) : its top eigenvector has slope ( 5 − 1 ) / 2 (\sqrt{5}-1)/2 ( 5 − 1 ) /2 , so no nonzero rational vector spans that line. □ \square □
Proof (of Theorem 3.1) For each fixed p > − k β p > -k\beta p > − k β , choose 0 < δ < 1 0 < \delta< 1 0 < δ < 1 with p ≥ − ( 1 − δ ) k β p \ge-(1-\delta)k\beta p ≥ − ( 1 − δ ) k β and apply Theorem 3.2. Theorems 5.1 and 5.2 give hardness for p < 1 p < 1 p < 1 and p = 1 p = 1 p = 1 , including the positive-definite families. Theorem 5.4 gives the projection subclass. At and below − k β -k\beta − k β the threshold in Theorem 5.1 is zero. The exception at ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) (k,p) = (1,1) ( k , p ) = ( 1 , 1 ) is the eigenvalue problem just considered. □ \square □
Matching computational hardness
This appendix proves Theorems 5.1, 5.2, and 5.4, together with the normalization identity in Lemma 5.3. We construct instances with optimum one in the YES case and with every feasible value at most the Gaussian threshold plus an arbitrarily small fixed slack in the NO case. Both constructions start from a block-subspace promise. In the NO case, it ensures that most coefficient blocks have no large individual coefficient, allowing comparison with Gaussian sums.
A small exceptional set of blocks may nevertheless carry all the coefficient energy. For p < 1 p < 1 p < 1 , moment estimates control its effect: positive subquadratic moments bound its contribution, while negative moments allow us to retain only the good blocks. At p = 1 p = 1 p = 1 , the subquadratic estimate fails. We instead use several tensor factors and average over which factor is shared by the output rows. This averaging limits the contribution of concentrated energy.
Section C.1 supplies the common ingredients; Sections C.2 and C.3 prove the two PSD gaps. Section C.4 handles rational encoding, positive-definite perturbations, and the remaining powers. Section C.5 transfers the hardness to projection observations. Throughout, β : = 1 / 2 \beta:= 1/2 β := 1/2 over R \mathbb{R} R and β : = 1 \beta:= 1 β := 1 over C \mathbb{C} C . All reduction parameters are fixed before the source input size grows.
The shared source and moment family
We use the following form of the block-subspace hardness theorem of Briët, Regev, and Saket [12 ] , stated explicitly as Theorem 4.3 in the full version of Ebrahimnejad, Nagda, and Oveis Gharan [18 ] . All norms in this statement are ordinary, unnormalized Euclidean norms. The YES witness selects one coordinate per block. The NO promise limits the number of blocks that have both bounded norm and a large coordinate.
Proposition C.1 (Block-subspace promise) For any fixed 0 < τ , δ 0 , η < 1 0 < \tau,\delta_0,\eta< 1 0 < τ , δ 0 , η < 1 , there is a fixed block length b s r c b_{\mathrm{src}} b src such that the following problem is NP-hard. Given a rational orthogonal projection onto W ⊆ R N b s r c W \subseteq\mathbb{R}^{N b_{\mathrm{src}}} W ⊆ R N b src , distinguish:
W W W contains a vector v v v such that every block v i ∈ R b s r c v_i \in\mathbb{R}^{b_{\mathrm{src}}} v i ∈ R b src is a coordinate unit vector.
For every v ∈ W v \in W v ∈ W with ∥ v ∥ 2 = N \lVert v\rVert^2 = N ∥ v ∥ 2 = N , at most τ N \tau N τ N blocks satisfy both ∥ v i ∥ ≤ η − 1 \lVert v_i\rVert\le\eta^{-1} ∥ v i ∥ ≤ η − 1 and ∥ v i ∥ ∞ ≥ δ 0 \lVert v_i\rVert_\infty\ge\delta_0 ∥ v i ∥ ∞ ≥ δ 0 .
We use only this small-parameter regime. Its cases are disjoint: every block of the YES witness has norm and maximum coordinate one, so all N N N blocks satisfy the two NO tests, whereas τ N < N \tau N < N τ N < N . Decreasing any of the three source parameters strengthens the NO guarantee. All choices below may therefore be capped at 1 / 2 1/2 1/2 .
The rational representation follows directly from the original construction. Its subspace is defined by homogeneous equalities between coordinate sums [12 Section 3.1, equation (3.1)] .
After selecting independent rows of the resulting integer constraint matrix D D D , the projection is Π W = I − D T ( D D T ) − 1 D \Pi_W = I - D^{T}(DD^{T})^{-1}D Π W = I − D T ( D D T ) − 1 D . It is computable with polynomial bit length; the encoding details are given in Appendix § 15 .§ 4 . We use this real source over both fields. For F = C F = \mathbb{C} F = C , W W W is complexified; its real NO promise will be applied to concatenated real and imaginary coefficient columns.
A rational unitary family with independent row phases
Let C t C_t C t be a uniformly chosen cyclic permutation of k k k coordinates, and let ε 1 , … , ε k \varepsilon_1,\ldots,\varepsilon_k ε 1 , … , ε k be independent uniform signs over R \mathbb{R} R , or fourth-root phases over C \mathbb{C} C . Write π t \pi_t π t for the coordinate permutation determined by e r T C t = e π t ( r ) T e_r^{T}C_t=e_{\pi_t(r)}^{T} e r T C t = e π t ( r ) T . Our finite indexed family U k \mathcal{U}_k U k consists of
U : = diag ( ε 1 , … , ε k ) C t . U := \operatorname{diag}(\varepsilon_1,\ldots,\varepsilon_k)C_t. U := diag ( ε 1 , … , ε k ) C t .
Every outcome is a rational orthogonal or unitary matrix, and
E U = 0 , E U a b U ‾ c d = δ a c δ b d k . (49) \mathbb{E}U=0,\qquad\mathbb{E}U_{ab}\overline{U}_{cd}=\frac{\delta_{ac}\delta_{bd}}{k}. \tag*{(49)} E U = 0 , E U ab U c d = k δ a c δ b d . (49)
Different row phases have zero cross-moment; within one row the uniform shift visits each column with probability 1 / k 1/k 1/ k . Over C \mathbb{C} C , E U a b U c d = 0 \mathbb{E}U_{ab}U_{cd}=0 E U ab U c d = 0 as well because each phase has zero second moment. The support has k 2 k k2^k k 2 k real or k 4 k k4^k k 4 k complex parameter tuples. Its exponential dependence on k k k is harmless here: the selected dimension is fixed before the source input grows. All tuples are enumerated with equal weight. The independent row phases will also be used in the arithmetic proof.
A norm-exact source-coefficient bound
Let W F W_F W F denote the real source space or its complexification. All Euclidean and Frobenius norms are unnormalized. The next lemma extends the scalar source promise to matrix coefficients, uniformly in the number of columns. This uniformity will allow us to apply it to large tensor reshapes. The proof uses orthogonal columns so that every random-sign combination has squared norm exactly N N N , as required by the source promise.
Lemma C.2 (Few exceptional source blocks) Fix M ≥ 1 M \ge1 M ≥ 1 and 0 < d 0 < 1 0 < d_0 < 1 0 < d 0 < 1 . Suppose the source NO promise holds with parameters τ 0 , δ 0 ≤ d 0 / 2 \tau_0,\delta_0 \le d_0/2 τ 0 , δ 0 ≤ d 0 /2 , and η 0 ≤ ( 4 M ) − 1 \eta_0 \le(4M)^{-1} η 0 ≤ ( 4 M ) − 1 . If the columns of V V V belong to W F W_F W F and ∥ V ∥ F 2 = N \lVert V\rVert_F^2=N ∥ V ∥ F 2 = N , at most 8 τ 0 N 8\tau_0N 8 τ 0 N source blocks satisfy
∥ V i ∥ F ≤ M , max a ∥ V i , a ∥ 2 ≥ d 0 . \lVert V_i\rVert_F \le M,\qquad\max_a \lVert V_{i,a}\rVert_2 \ge d_0. ∥ V i ∥ F ≤ M , a max ∥ V i , a ∥ 2 ≥ d 0 . Here V i , a V_{i,a} V i , a is the row at coordinate ( i , a ) (i,a) ( i , a ) . Outside at most ( 8 τ 0 + M − 2 ) N (8\tau_0+M^{-2})N ( 8 τ 0 + M − 2 ) N blocks, therefore, both ∥ V i ∥ F ≤ M \lVert V_i\rVert_F \le M ∥ V i ∥ F ≤ M and max a ∥ V i , a ∥ 2 < d 0 \max_a\lVert V_{i,a}\rVert_2<d_0 max a ∥ V i , a ∥ 2 < d 0 hold. The estimate is independent of the number of columns.
Proof. First suppose V V V is real. Choose an orthogonal Q Q Q that diagonalizes V T V V^T V V T V , so the columns b j b_j b j of B : = V Q B:=VQ B := V Q are orthogonal. Their row and block squared norms are unchanged. For independent signs ε j \varepsilon_j ε j , put x : = ∑ j ε j b j x:=\sum_j\varepsilon_jb_j x := ∑ j ε j b j . Every outcome belongs to W W W and has exactly
∥ x ∥ 2 = ∑ j ∥ b j ∥ 2 = N . \lVert x\rVert^2=\sum_j\lVert b_j\rVert^2=N. ∥ x ∥ 2 = j ∑ ∥ b j ∥ 2 = N .
Fix a block in the asserted exceptional set and a row with squared norm σ 2 ≥ d 0 2 \sigma^2\ge d_0^2 σ 2 ≥ d 0 2 . The corresponding scalar Z : = x i , a Z:=x_{i,a} Z := x i , a satisfies E Z 2 = σ 2 \mathbb{E}Z^2=\sigma^2 E Z 2 = σ 2 and
E Z 4 = 3 σ 4 − 2 ∑ j B i , a , j 4 ≤ 3 σ 4 . (50) \mathbb{E}Z^4=3\sigma^4-2\sum_j B_{i,a,j}^4\le3\sigma^4. \tag*{(50)} E Z 4 = 3 σ 4 − 2 j ∑ B i , a , j 4 ≤ 3 σ 4 . (50)
If E : = { ∣ Z ∣ ≥ σ / 2 } E := \{|Z| \ge\sigma/2\} E := { ∣ Z ∣ ≥ σ /2 } , Cauchy–Schwarz gives σ 2 ≤ σ 2 / 4 + ( E Z 4 Pr ( E ) ) 1 / 2 \sigma^2 \le\sigma^2/4 + (\mathbb{E}Z^4\Pr(E))^{1/2} σ 2 ≤ σ 2 /4 + ( E Z 4 Pr ( E ) ) 1/2 , hence Pr { ∣ Z ∣ ≥ d 0 / 2 } ≥ 3 / 16 \Pr\{|Z| \ge d_0/2\} \ge3/16 Pr { ∣ Z ∣ ≥ d 0 /2 } ≥ 3/16 . Moreover E ∥ x i ∥ 2 ≤ M 2 \mathbb{E}\lVert x_i\rVert^2 \le M^2 E ∥ x i ∥ 2 ≤ M 2 , so Pr { ∥ x i ∥ > 4 M } ≤ 1 / 16 \Pr\{\lVert x_i\rVert> 4M\} \le1/16 Pr {∥ x i ∥ > 4 M } ≤ 1/16 . Both source tests therefore hold with probability at least 1 / 8 1/8 1/8 . The source promise bounds the expected total number of such blocks by τ 0 N \tau_0N τ 0 N , proving the first assertion. At most N / M 2 N/M^2 N / M 2 further blocks have ∥ V i ∥ F > M \lVert V_i\rVert_{\mathrm{F}} > M ∥ V i ∥ F > M . For complex V V V , apply the real argument to [ ℜ V ℑ V ] [\Re V\ \Im V] [ ℜ V ℑ V ] , which preserves all row, block, and total norms. The orthogonalization is only a proof device; it is not encoded in the reduction. □ \square □
Gaussian comparison when every coefficient is small
For a square matrix T ∈ F k × k T \in\mathbb{F}^{k \times k} T ∈ F k × k , put
H ( T ) : = k ∣ det T ∣ 1 / k . \mathcal{H}(T) := \sqrt{k}\lvert\det T\rvert^{1/k}. H ( T ) := k ∣ det T ∣ 1/ k .
Let U j U_j U j be independent samples from U k \mathcal{U}_k U k . Suppose the squared Frobenius norms of the coefficient matrices Z j Z_j Z j sum to one. Unitarity and the second-moment identity give
H ( ∑ j U j Z j ) 2 ≤ ∥ ∑ j U j Z j ∥ F 2 , E ∥ ∑ j U j Z j ∥ F 2 = 1. (51) \mathcal{H}\left(\sum_j U_jZ_j\right)^2 \le\left\lVert\sum_j U_jZ_j\right\rVert_{\mathrm{F}}^2,\qquad\mathbb{E}\left\lVert\sum_j U_jZ_j\right\rVert_{\mathrm{F}}^2 = 1. \tag*{(51)} H ( j ∑ U j Z j ) 2 ≤ j ∑ U j Z j F 2 , E j ∑ U j Z j F 2 = 1. (51)
The next lemma improves this second-moment bound to the Gaussian benchmark whenever every normalized coefficient is small. Its coefficient threshold is uniform in the number of summands.
Lemma C.3 (Uniform determinant moments) Fix k ≥ 1 k \ge1 k ≥ 1 . Let − k β < p < 1 -k\beta< p < 1 − k β < p < 1 , p ≠ 0 p \ne0 p = 0 , q : = 2 p q := 2p q := 2 p , and κ > α k ( p ) \kappa> \sqrt{\alpha_k(p)} κ > α k ( p ) . There is δ > 0 \delta> 0 δ > 0 such that, for every finite family ( Z j ) (Z_j) ( Z j ) satisfying
∑ j ∥ Z j ∥ F 2 = 1 , max j ∥ Z j ∥ F ≤ δ , \sum_j \lVert Z_j\rVert_{\mathrm{F}}^2 = 1,\qquad\max_j \lVert Z_j\rVert_{\mathrm{F}} \le\delta, j ∑ ∥ Z j ∥ F 2 = 1 , j max ∥ Z j ∥ F ≤ δ , one has
( E H ( ∑ j U j Z j ) q ) 1 / q ≤ κ . (52) \left(\mathbb{E}\mathcal{H}\left(\sum_j U_jZ_j\right)^q\right)^{1/q} \le\kappa. \tag*{(52)} ( E H ( j ∑ U j Z j ) q ) 1/ q ≤ κ . (52)
For q < 0 q < 0 q < 0 , an infinite raw moment is interpreted as a zero power mean. The parameter δ \delta δ is independent of the number of summands.
Proof We argue by contradiction. If the assertion failed, there would be a sequence of families violating (C.3) whose largest coefficient Frobenius norm tends to zero. The matrices Σ : = ∑ j Z j ∗ Z j \Sigma:= \sum_j Z_j^*Z_j Σ := ∑ j Z j ∗ Z j are PSD of trace one, so a subsequence converges to some Σ ∞ ⪰ 0 \Sigma_\infty\succeq0 Σ ∞ ⪰ 0 with trace one. Each vectorized summand is centered and has deterministic norm at most max j ∥ Z j ∥ F \max_j\lVert Z_j\rVert_{\mathrm{F}} max j ∥ Z j ∥ F . Thus the Lindeberg condition holds. The fixed-dimensional Lindeberg central limit theorem [9 ] and (C.1) give, along this subsequence,
∑ j U j Z j ⟹ T ∞ : = k − 1 / 2 G Σ ∞ 1 / 2 , (53) \sum_j U_jZ_j \mathrel{\Longrightarrow} T_\infty:= k^{-1/2}G\Sigma_\infty^{1/2}, \tag*{(53)} j ∑ U j Z j ⟹ T ∞ := k − 1/2 G Σ ∞ 1/2 , (53)
where G G G has independent standard real or proper complex Gaussian entries, normalized by E ∣ G a b ∣ 2 = 1 \mathbb{E}|G_{ab}|^2 = 1 E ∣ G ab ∣ 2 = 1 . The row covariances are Σ ∞ / k \Sigma_\infty/k Σ ∞ / k , distinct rows are uncorrelated, and the complex pseudo-covariance vanishes. These assertions also allow singular Σ ∞ \Sigma_\infty Σ ∞ .
The covariance dependence factors:
H ( T ∞ ) 2 = ∣ det G ∣ 2 / k det ( Σ ∞ ) 1 / k ≤ k − 1 ∣ det G ∣ 2 / k . (54) \mathcal{H}(T_\infty)^2 = |\det G|^{2/k}\det(\Sigma_\infty)^{1/k} \le k^{-1}|\det G|^{2/k}. \tag*{(54)} H ( T ∞ ) 2 = ∣ det G ∣ 2/ k det ( Σ ∞ ) 1/ k ≤ k − 1 ∣ det G ∣ 2/ k . (54)
The inequality follows from tr Σ ∞ = 1 \operatorname{tr}\Sigma_{\infty}=1 tr Σ ∞ = 1 . Bartlett’s decomposition [23 , 37 ] gives independent variables γ j ∼ Gamma ( j β , rate 1 ) \gamma_j \sim\operatorname{Gamma}(j\beta,\text{ rate }1) γ j ∼ Gamma ( j β , rate 1 ) such that ∣ det G ∣ 2 |\det G|^2 ∣ det G ∣ 2 has the distribution of β − k ∏ j = 1 k γ j \beta^{-k}\prod_{j=1}^{k}\gamma_j β − k ∏ j = 1 k γ j . Hence
E ∣ det G ∣ 2 u = β − k u ∏ j = 1 k Γ ( j β + u ) Γ ( j β ) ( u > − β ) . (55) \mathbb{E}|\det G|^{2u}=\beta^{-ku}\prod_{j=1}^{k}\frac{\Gamma(j\beta+u)}{\Gamma(j\beta)} \qquad(u>-\beta). \tag*{(55)} E ∣ det G ∣ 2 u = β − k u j = 1 ∏ k Γ ( j β ) Γ ( j β + u ) ( u > − β ) . (55)
In the stated moment range,
[ E ( k − 1 / 2 ∣ det G ∣ 1 / k ) q ] 1 / q = α k ( p ) . \left[\mathbb{E}\left(k^{-1/2}|\det G|^{1/k}\right)^q\right]^{1/q}=\sqrt{\alpha_k(p)}. [ E ( k − 1/2 ∣ det G ∣ 1/ k ) q ] 1/ q = α k ( p ) .
If 0 < q < 2 0<q<2 0 < q < 2 , (C.2) implies the uniform tail bound
E [ H ( S ) q 1 { H ( S ) > R } ] ≤ R q − 2 . \mathbb{E}\left[\mathcal{H}(S)^q\mathbf{1}_{\{\mathcal{H}(S)>R\}}\right]\leq R^{q-2}. E [ H ( S ) q 1 { H ( S ) > R } ] ≤ R q − 2 .
Thus (C.4 entails convergence of the q q q th moments. Equation (C.5) bounds the limiting moment by α k ( p ) q / 2 < κ q \alpha_k(p)^{q/2}<\kappa^q α k ( p ) q /2 < κ q .
For q < 0 q<0 q < 0 , use the bounded continuous function min { H ( T ) q , M } \min\{\mathcal{H}(T)^q,M\} min { H ( T ) q , M } , assigning it the value M M M when det T = 0 \det T=0 det T = 0 . Weak convergence followed by M → ∞ M\to\infty M → ∞ yields
lim inf E H ( S ) q ≥ E H ( T ∞ ) q . \liminf\mathbb{E}\mathcal{H}(S)^q\geq\mathbb{E}\mathcal{H}(T_\infty)^q. lim inf E H ( S ) q ≥ E H ( T ∞ ) q .
If Σ ∞ \Sigma_\infty Σ ∞ is singular, the right side is infinite. Otherwise (C.5) and (C.6) bound it below by α k ( p ) q / 2 > κ q \alpha_k(p)^{q/2}>\kappa^q α k ( p ) q /2 > κ q in the stated moment range. Taking a negative root reverses the inequality in the required direction.
Both cases contradict the strict limiting inequalities above. The contradiction also proves uniformity in the number of summands. □ \square □
Hardness for powers below one
We prove Theorem 5.1 . Fix its field, selected dimension, rational power − k β < p < 1 -k\beta<p<1 − k β < p < 1 , p ≠ 0 p\ne0 p = 0 , and slack ε \varepsilon ε , and put q : = 2 p q:=2p q := 2 p . The remaining powers will follow by monotonicity. Throughout this subsection the source block length is b s r c b_{\mathrm{src}} b src .
Construction and completeness
Write Π : = Π W ⊗ I k \Pi:=\Pi_W\otimes I_k Π := Π W ⊗ I k and regard an ambient vector as blocks x i , j ∈ F k x_{i,j}\in\mathbb{F}^k x i , j ∈ F k , indexed by 1 ≤ i ≤ N 1\leq i\leq N 1 ≤ i ≤ N and 1 ≤ j ≤ b s r c 1\leq j\leq b_{\mathrm{src}} 1 ≤ j ≤ b src . For i i i and U : = ( U 1 , … , U b s r c ) ∈ U k b s r c U:=(U_1,\ldots,U_{b_{\mathrm{src}}})\in\mathcal{U}_k^{b_{\mathrm{src}}} U := ( U 1 , … , U b src ) ∈ U k b src , define
L i , U x : = ∑ j = 1 b s r c U j ( Π x ) i , j , A i , U : = N L i , U ∗ L i , U . (56) L_{i,U}x:=\sum_{j=1}^{b_{\mathrm{src}}}U_j(\Pi x)_{i,j},\qquad A_{i,U}:=N L_{i,U}^{*}L_{i,U}. \tag*{(56)} L i , U x := j = 1 ∑ b src U j ( Π x ) i , j , A i , U := N L i , U ∗ L i , U . (56)
We call L i , U L_{i,U} L i , U the measurement map and A i , U A_{i,U} A i , U the resulting observation. The observations are m : = N ∣ U k ∣ b s r c m:=N|\mathcal{U}_k|^{b_{\mathrm{src}}} m := N ∣ U k ∣ b src rational PSD matrices of rank at most k k k , acting on F N b s r c k \mathbb{F}^{N b_{\mathrm{src}}k} F N b src k . Their size is polynomial in the source input because b s r c b_{\mathrm{src}} b src and k k k are fixed. Averaging first over the independent U j U_j U j and then over i i i gives
1 m ∑ i , U A i , U = Π . (57) \frac{1}{m}\sum_{i,U}A_{i,U}=\Pi. \tag*{(57)} m 1 i , U ∑ A i , U = Π. (57)
Consequently, for every frame P P P ,
1 m ∑ i , U det ( P ∗ A i , U P ) 1 / k ≤ 1 k tr ( P ∗ Π P ) ≤ 1. (58) \frac{1}{m}\sum_{i,U}\det(P^*A_{i,U}P)^{1/k}\leq\frac{1}{k}\operatorname{tr}(P^*\Pi P)\leq1. \tag*{(58)} m 1 i , U ∑ det ( P ∗ A i , U P ) 1/ k ≤ k 1 tr ( P ∗ Π P ) ≤ 1. (58)
The first inequality is determinant AM–GM. Every power mean with p ≤ 1 p \le1 p ≤ 1 is therefore at most one.
For a YES witness v v v in Proposition C.1, take P : = ( v / N ) ⊗ I k P := (v/\sqrt{N}) \otimes I_k P := ( v / N ) ⊗ I k . This is a frame. In each block, the coordinate selected by v i v_i v i gives L i , U P = U j / N L_{i,U}P = U_j/\sqrt{N} L i , U P = U j / N for some j j j , so every compression in the YES instance is I k I_k I k .
Soundness and the order of parameters
Reduction to source-supported matrices. Fix a frame P P P . Its volume scores depend only on Π P \Pi_P Π P . If Π P = 0 \Pi_P = 0 Π P = 0 , every volume is zero. Otherwise define
Q : = k Π P ∥ Π P ∥ F . Q := \frac{\sqrt{k}\,\Pi_P}{\lVert\Pi_P\rVert_{\mathrm{F}}}. Q := ∥ Π P ∥ F k Π P .
Since ∥ Π P ∥ F ≤ k \lVert\Pi_P\rVert_{\mathrm{F}} \le\sqrt{k} ∥ Π P ∥ F ≤ k , this replacement weakly increases every volume. Although Q Q Q need not be a frame, it is supported on W F ⊗ F k \mathcal{W}_{F} \otimes\mathbb{F}^{k} W F ⊗ F k and has Frobenius norm k \sqrt{k} k . It is therefore enough to establish soundness on this larger class.
Set Z : = N / k Q Z := \sqrt{N/k}\,Q Z := N / k Q , so that ∥ Z ∥ F 2 = N \lVert Z\rVert_{\mathrm{F}}^{2} = N ∥ Z ∥ F 2 = N matches the normalization in Lemma C.2. Denote its k × k k \times k k × k coordinate blocks by Z i , j Z_{i,j} Z i , j . The score of Q Q Q for observation A i , U A_{i,U} A i , U is
det ( Q ∗ A i , U Q ) 1 / k = H ( ∑ j U j Z i , j ) 2 . (59) \det(Q^{*}A_{i,U}Q)^{1/k} = \mathcal{H}\left(\sum_{j} U_{j}Z_{i,j}\right)^{2}. \tag*{(59)} det ( Q ∗ A i , U Q ) 1/ k = H ( j ∑ U j Z i , j ) 2 . (59)
Writing S i : = ∑ j U j Z i , j S_i := \sum_j U_j Z_{i,j} S i := ∑ j U j Z i , j , we can bound the q q q -mean of H \mathcal{H} H at q = 2 p q = 2p q = 2 p and square the result. Indeed, the same finite average over observations ( i , U ) (i,U) ( i , U ) gives
Mean p [ H ( S i ) ] 2 = ( Mean 2 p [ H ( S i ) ] ) 2 . \operatorname{Mean}_{p}[\mathcal{H}(S_i)]^{2}
=
\left(\operatorname{Mean}_{2p}[\mathcal{H}(S_i)]\right)^{2}. Mean p [ H ( S i ) ] 2 = ( Mean 2 p [ H ( S i )] ) 2 .
A common good set. Arrange the entries of each Z i , j Z_{i,j} Z i , j into one row of a coefficient matrix, with row index ( i , j ) (i,j) ( i , j ) . Its columns belong to W F \mathcal{W}_{F} W F and its squared Frobenius norm is N N N . Lemma C.2 supplies a common set G \mathcal{G} G with
g : = ∣ G ∣ N ≥ 1 − f , f : = 8 τ 0 + M − 2 , max j ∥ Z i , j ∥ F < d 0 ( i ∈ G ) . (60) g := \frac{|\mathcal{G}|}{N} \ge1-f,
\qquad
f := 8\tau_{0}+M^{-2},
\qquad
\max_{j}\lVert Z_{i,j}\rVert_{\mathrm{F}} < d_{0}
\quad(i \in\mathcal{G}). \tag*{(60)} g := N ∣ G ∣ ≥ 1 − f , f := 8 τ 0 + M − 2 , j max ∥ Z i , j ∥ F < d 0 ( i ∈ G ) . (60)
The set may depend on P P P , but the source bound holds for every coefficient matrix.
Moments within each block. Put s i 2 : = ∑ j ∥ Z i , j ∥ 2 s_i^{2} := \sum_j \lVert Z_{i,j}\rVert^{2} s i 2 := ∑ j ∥ Z i , j ∥ 2 , so that ∑ i s i 2 = N \sum_i s_i^{2} = N ∑ i s i 2 = N . Applying Lemma C.3 requires dividing the coefficients by s i s_i s i , which may be small. Introduce a cutoff λ > 0 \lambda> 0 λ > 0 and choose d 0 ≤ δ λ d_0 \le\delta\lambda d 0 ≤ δ λ , where δ \delta δ is the lemma’s threshold. For s i > λ s_i > \lambda s i > λ , a good block then has normalized coefficients of norm less than d 0 / s i ≤ δ d_0/s_i \le\delta d 0 / s i ≤ δ ; smaller blocks are controlled directly by their second moment.
Expectations below average the finite gadget within each block. On any block, homogeneity rescales (C.2) from unit coefficient energy to s i 2 s_i^{2} s i 2 . Thus the q q q -mean of H ( S i ) \mathcal{H}(S_i) H ( S i ) is at most s i s_i s i by power-mean monotonicity (and is zero if s i = 0 s_i = 0 s i = 0 ). On a good block with s i > λ s_i > \lambda s i > λ , divide its coefficients by s i s_i s i and apply Lemma C.3: the q q q -mean is at most κ s i \kappa s_i κ s i . Good blocks with s i ≤ λ s_i \le\lambda s i ≤ λ have q q q -mean at most λ \lambda λ .
Averaging at positive powers. For 0 < q < 2 0 < q < 2 0 < q < 2 , the good-block contribution to the raw moment is at most κ q + λ q \kappa^{q}+\lambda^{q} κ q + λ q . Since the discarded fraction is at most f f f , Hölder’s inequality gives
1 N ∑ i ∉ G E H ( S i ) q ≤ 1 N ∑ i ∉ G s i q ≤ f 1 − q / 2 . \frac{1}{N}\sum_{i\notin\mathcal{G}}\mathbb{E}\mathcal{H}(S_i)^{q}
\le
\frac{1}{N}\sum_{i\notin\mathcal{G}}s_i^{q}
\le f^{1-q/2}. N 1 i ∈ / G ∑ E H ( S i ) q ≤ N 1 i ∈ / G ∑ s i q ≤ f 1 − q /2 .
Consequently
( 1 N ∑ i E H ( S i ) q ) 1 / q ≤ [ κ q + λ q + f 1 − q / 2 ] 1 / q . (61) \left(\frac{1}{N}\sum_i \mathbb{E}\mathcal{H}(S_i)^{q}\right)^{1/q}
\le
\left[\kappa^{q}+\lambda^{q}+f^{1-q/2}\right]^{1/q}. \tag*{(61)} ( N 1 i ∑ E H ( S i ) q ) 1/ q ≤ [ κ q + λ q + f 1 − q /2 ] 1/ q . (61)
Averaging at negative powers. For q < 0 q < 0 q < 0 , an upper bound on the power mean corresponds to a lower bound on the raw moment. We retain only good blocks in that sum; taking the negative root will reverse the inequality. An infinite raw moment gives power mean zero. Put t i : = max { λ , κ s i } t_i := \max\{\lambda,\kappa s_i\} t i := max { λ , κ s i } on G \mathcal{G} G . The block estimates now imply E H ( S i ) q ≥ t i q \mathbb{E}\mathcal{H}(S_i)^q \ge t_i^q E H ( S i ) q ≥ t i q . Discarding the other nonnegative raw moments and using the convex decreasing function x ↦ x q / 2 x \mapsto x^{q/2} x ↦ x q /2 yields
1 N ∑ i E H ( S i ) q ≥ 1 N ∑ i ∈ G t i q ≥ g ( ∑ i ∈ G t i 2 g N ) q / 2 ≥ g ( λ 2 + κ 2 g ) q / 2 . (62) \frac{1}{N}\sum_i \mathbb{E}\mathcal{H}(S_i)^q \ge\frac{1}{N}\sum_{i\in\mathcal{G}} t_i^q
\ge g\left(\frac{\sum_{i\in\mathcal{G}}t_i^2}{gN}\right)^{q/2}
\ge g\left(\frac{\lambda^2+\kappa^2}{g}\right)^{q/2}. \tag*{(62)} N 1 i ∑ E H ( S i ) q ≥ N 1 i ∈ G ∑ t i q ≥ g ( g N ∑ i ∈ G t i 2 ) q /2 ≥ g ( g λ 2 + κ 2 ) q /2 . (62)
After taking the negative root,
( 1 N ∑ i E H ( S i ) q ) 1 / q ≤ λ 2 + κ 2 g 1 / q − 1 / 2 . (63) \left(\frac{1}{N}\sum_i \mathbb{E}\mathcal{H}(S_i)^q\right)^{1/q}
\le\sqrt{\lambda^2+\kappa^2}\,g^{1/q-1/2}. \tag*{(63)} ( N 1 i ∑ E H ( S i ) q ) 1/ q ≤ λ 2 + κ 2 g 1/ q − 1/2 . (63)
Infinite moments only strengthen (C.13).
Choosing parameters. In view of (C.10), the target p p p -mean is the square of the q q q -mean in (C.12) or (C.14). Use the following order, with analytic slack ε / 2 \varepsilon/2 ε /2 ; the remaining half is available for the later positive-definite perturbation.
Choose κ > α k ( p ) \kappa> \sqrt{\alpha_k(p)} κ > α k ( p ) with κ 2 < α k ( p ) + ε / 2 \kappa^2 < \alpha_k(p) + \varepsilon/2 κ 2 < α k ( p ) + ε /2 . Then choose λ > 0 \lambda> 0 λ > 0 and 0 < f ∗ < 1 0 < f_* < 1 0 < f ∗ < 1 small enough that the corresponding squared bound is below α k ( p ) + ε / 2 \alpha_k(p) + \varepsilon/2 α k ( p ) + ε /2 whenever f ≤ f ∗ f \le f_* f ≤ f ∗ and g ≥ 1 − f ∗ g \ge1-f_* g ≥ 1 − f ∗ .
Obtain δ \delta δ from Lemma C.3. Choose M ≥ 1 M \ge1 M ≥ 1 large and τ 0 > 0 \tau_0 > 0 τ 0 > 0 small enough that 8 τ 0 + M − 2 ≤ f ∗ 8\tau_0 + M^{-2} \le f_* 8 τ 0 + M − 2 ≤ f ∗ , and choose the coefficient threshold 0 < d 0 < min { 1 , δ λ } 0 < d_0 < \min\{1,\delta\lambda\} 0 < d 0 < min { 1 , δ λ } .
Invoke the source theorem with τ ≤ min { τ 0 , 1 / 2 } \tau\le\min\{\tau_0,1/2\} τ ≤ min { τ 0 , 1/2 } , source coordinate threshold δ 0 ≤ d 0 / 2 \delta_0 \le d_0/2 δ 0 ≤ d 0 /2 , and η ≤ ( 4 M ) − 1 \eta\le(4M)^{-1} η ≤ ( 4 M ) − 1 , capping the latter parameters at 1 / 2 1/2 1/2 . This fixes b s r c b_{\mathrm{src}} b src ; only then does N N N grow.
The comparison threshold is independent of the number of coefficients, so choosing it before the source block length creates no circular dependence. This proves PSD hardness strictly above the negative boundary at nonzero power. Section C.4.3 supplies the positive-definite version, and Section C.4.4 treats the remaining powers.
Why the arithmetic endpoint needs a new argument. At q = 2 q = 2 q = 2 , the exponent 1 − q / 2 1-q/2 1 − q /2 in (C.12) vanishes. To illustrate this limitation of the energy estimate, consider an exceptional fraction f > 0 f > 0 f > 0 of blocks with s i = f − 1 / 2 s_i = f^{-1/2} s i = f − 1/2 there and s i = 0 s_i = 0 s i = 0 elsewhere. Then
1 N ∑ i s i 2 = 1 , 1 N ∑ i e x c e p t i o n a l s i q = f 1 − q / 2 . \frac{1}{N}\sum_i s_i^2 = 1,\qquad\frac{1}{N}\sum_{i\ \mathrm{exceptional}}s_i^q = f^{1-q/2}. N 1 i ∑ s i 2 = 1 , N 1 i exceptional ∑ s i q = f 1 − q /2 .
For 0 < q < 2 0 < q < 2 0 < q < 2 this tends to zero with f f f , but for q = 2 q = 2 q = 2 it equals one. This energy profile illustrates the obstruction; it is not a constructed source instance. The tensor construction below controls concentrated energy by averaging several orientations while preserving perfect completeness.
Hardness at power one
We prove Theorem 5.2. Fix k ≥ 2 k \ge2 k ≥ 2 and abbreviate
a k : = α k ( 1 ) = 1 k E ∣ det G ∣ 2 / k , (64) a_k := \alpha_k(1) = \frac{1}{k}\mathbb{E}|\det G|^{2/k}, \tag*{(64)} a k := α k ( 1 ) = k 1 E ∣ det G ∣ 2/ k , (64)
where G G G is a square standard Gaussian matrix. For any fixed tensor order d ≥ 2 d \ge2 d ≥ 2 the construction below has soundness at most max { a k , 1 / d } \max\{a_k,1/d\} max { a k , 1/ d } plus an arbitrary small fixed slack. Choose 1 / d ≤ a k 1/d \le a_k 1/ d ≤ a k to obtain the theorem. The tensor order is fixed before the source input grows.
An orientation is the choice of a factor h h h whose block index is shared by all output rows; the other factors are sampled independently in each row. We will use the same good sets G u G_u G u for every orientation. After controlling exceptional independent indices, the retained coefficients have either no bad factor or only the shared factor bad. Write e ∅ e_{\varnothing} e ∅ and e h e_h e h for the corresponding fractions of coefficient energy. The estimates below will give
F h ( T ) ≤ a k e ∅ + e h + E e r r , F ( T ) ≤ max { a k , 1 / d } + E e r r . F_h(T) \le a_k e_{\varnothing} + e_h + E_{\mathrm{err}}, \qquad F(T) \le\max\{a_k,1/d\} + E_{\mathrm{err}}. F h ( T ) ≤ a k e ∅ + e h + E err , F ( T ) ≤ max { a k , 1/ d } + E err .
Here F h F_h F h is the arithmetic objective in orientation h h h , F F F is their average, and E e r r E_{\mathrm{err}} E err can be made arbitrarily small. Energy with exactly one bad factor is charged at full strength in only one orientation, so averaging gives it coefficient 1 / d 1/d 1/ d . The following subsections construct the instance and justify this accounting.
We use u u u for a tensor factor, h h h for the shared factor, and r r r for an output row. Within factor u u u , i u i_u i u is a source-block index and a u a_u a u a coordinate inside that block. As before, N N N grows, whereas the source block length b s r c b_{\mathrm{src}} b src is fixed by the analytic parameters.
Scalar comparison on prescribed subsets
The first ingredient replaces one independently sampled factor by a Gaussian contraction, meaning a sum against Gaussian coefficients along that factor. The comparison must remain valid when a prescribed set of source blocks is retained.
Put θ : = 2 / k ∈ ( 0 , 2 ) \theta:= 2/k \in(0,2) θ := 2/ k ∈ ( 0 , 2 ) and μ θ : = E ∣ g ∣ θ \mu_\theta:= \mathbb{E}|g|^\theta μ θ := E ∣ g ∣ θ , where g g g is a standard real or proper complex Gaussian. Let σ a \sigma_a σ a be independent uniform signs or fourth-root phases, respectively.
Lemma C.4 For every ϵ S > 0 \epsilon_S > 0 ϵ S > 0 , source parameters can be chosen so that, for every c ∈ W F c \in\mathcal{W}_{\mathrm{F}} c ∈ W F and every subset S ⊆ [ N ] S \subseteq[N] S ⊆ [ N ] ,
1 N ∑ i ∈ S E ∣ ∑ a σ a c i , a ∣ θ ≤ μ θ ( 1 N ∑ i ∈ S , a ∣ c i , a ∣ 2 ) θ / 2 + ϵ S ( 1 N ∑ i , a ∣ c i , a ∣ 2 ) θ / 2 . (65) \frac{1}{N}\sum_{i\in S}\mathbb{E}\left|\sum_a \sigma_a c_{i,a}\right|^\theta
\le
\mu_\theta\left(\frac{1}{N}\sum_{i\in S,a}|c_{i,a}|^2\right)^{\theta/2}
+
\epsilon_S\left(\frac{1}{N}\sum_{i,a}|c_{i,a}|^2\right)^{\theta/2}. \tag*{(65)} N 1 i ∈ S ∑ E a ∑ σ a c i , a θ ≤ μ θ N 1 i ∈ S , a ∑ ∣ c i , a ∣ 2 θ /2 + ϵ S ( N 1 i , a ∑ ∣ c i , a ∣ 2 ) θ /2 . (65)
The parameter choice is independent of N N N , the number of coefficients, c c c , and S S S . Only the full vector c c c must belong to W F \mathcal{W}_{\mathrm{F}} W F ; its restriction to S S S need not. All subset sums retain the denominator N N N : they are averages with an indicator of S S S , not conditional averages over S S S .
Proof. The zero vector is immediate. Otherwise normalize by homogeneity so that ∥ c ∥ 2 2 = N \lVert c\rVert_2^2=N ∥ c ∥ 2 2 = N , and put u i 2 : = ∑ a ∣ c i , a ∣ 2 u_i^2 := \sum_a |c_{i,a}|^2 u i 2 := ∑ a ∣ c i , a ∣ 2 . Lemma C.2, applied to this one-column matrix, gives a good set with discarded fraction at most f S : = 8 τ S + M − 2 f_S := 8\tau_S + M^{-2} f S := 8 τ S + M − 2 and coefficients bounded by d S d_S d S . For a small cutoff λ > 0 \lambda> 0 λ > 0 , blocks with u i ≤ λ u_i \le\lambda u i ≤ λ contribute at most λ θ \lambda^\theta λ θ to the averaged moment. The phase second-moment identity gives E ∣ ∑ a σ a c i , a ∣ θ ≤ u i θ \mathbb{E}\left|\sum_a \sigma_a c_{i,a}\right|^\theta\le u_i^\theta E ∣ ∑ a σ a c i , a ∣ θ ≤ u i θ , so Hölder bounds the discarded contribution by f S 1 − θ / 2 f_S^{1-\theta/2} f S 1 − θ /2 .
On each remaining block normalize the coefficient vector by u i u_i u i . The dimension-one instance of Lemma C.3, at power θ / 2 \theta/2 θ /2 , uses exactly these signs or fourth-root phases. For any ρ > 0 \rho> 0 ρ > 0 it gives
E ∣ ∑ a σ a c i , a ∣ θ ≤ ( μ θ + ρ ) u i θ \mathbb{E}\left|\sum_a \sigma_a c_{i,a}\right|^\theta
\le(\mu_\theta+\rho)u_i^\theta E a ∑ σ a c i , a θ ≤ ( μ θ + ρ ) u i θ
if d S / λ d_S/\lambda d S / λ is sufficiently small. No second central-limit argument is required. Restrict every bound to the prescribed set S S S and use
1 N ∑ i ∈ S u i θ ≤ ( 1 N ∑ i ∈ S u i 2 ) θ / 2 . \frac{1}{N}\sum_{i\in S}u_i^\theta\leq\left(\frac{1}{N}\sum_{i\in S}u_i^2\right)^{\theta/2}. N 1 i ∈ S ∑ u i θ ≤ ( N 1 i ∈ S ∑ u i 2 ) θ /2 .
The error beyond the asserted restricted-energy term is at most ρ + λ θ + f S 1 − θ / 2 \rho+\lambda^\theta+f_S^{1-\theta/2} ρ + λ θ + f S 1 − θ /2 , since the total average energy is one. Choose ρ \rho ρ , λ \lambda λ , f S f_S f S first, then M S M_S M S , τ S \tau_S τ S and d S d_S d S , and finally the source parameters as in Lemma C.2. Rescaling gives the stated result. □ \square □
The tensor instance
Set
Π : = Π W ⊗ d ⊗ I k , V : = W F ⊗ d ⊗ F k . \Pi:= \Pi_W^{\otimes d}\otimes I_k,\qquad\mathcal{V}:=\mathcal{W}_F^{\otimes d}\otimes F^k. Π := Π W ⊗ d ⊗ I k , V := W F ⊗ d ⊗ F k .
The ambient dimension is k ( N b s r c ) d k(N_{\mathrm{bsrc}})^d k ( N bsrc ) d . Its coordinates have indices
( ( i 1 , a 1 ) , … , ( i d , a d ) , t ) , i u ∈ [ N ] , a u ∈ [ b s r c ] , t ∈ [ k ] . ((i_1,a_1),\ldots,(i_d,a_d),t),\qquad i_u\in[N],\quad a_u\in[b_{\mathrm{src}}],\quad t\in[k]. (( i 1 , a 1 ) , … , ( i d , a d ) , t ) , i u ∈ [ N ] , a u ∈ [ b src ] , t ∈ [ k ] .
For a first example, take d = 2 d=2 d = 2 and share factor h = 1 h=1 h = 1 . The measurement map is
( L x ) r : = ∑ a , b σ b 2 , r e r T U a ( Π x ) j , a , i 2 , r , b . (Lx)_r:=\sum_{a,b}\sigma_b^{2,r}e_r^T U_a(\Pi x)_{j,a,i_{2,r},b}. ( Lx ) r := a , b ∑ σ b 2 , r e r T U a ( Π x ) j , a , i 2 , r , b .
The first factor’s block index j j j and matrices U a U_a U a are common to all rows. The second factor’s block index i 2 , r i_{2,r} i 2 , r and phases σ b 2 , r \sigma_b^{2,r} σ b 2 , r are independent for each row. Orientation h = 2 h=2 h = 2 interchanges these roles. This example explains the construction; the required tensor order is still chosen to satisfy 1 / d ≤ a k 1/d\leq a_k 1/ d ≤ a k .
In general, the instance has d d d equally weighted orientations. For orientation h h h , use the following independent uniform choices:
Choose the shared block index j : = i h ∈ [ N ] j:=i_h\in[N] j := i h ∈ [ N ] and one U a ∈ U k U_a\in\mathcal{U}_k U a ∈ U k for each shared label a ∈ [ b s r c ] a\in[b_{\mathrm{src}}] a ∈ [ b src ] .
For each nonshared factor u ≠ h u\ne h u = h and row r ∈ [ k ] r\in[k] r ∈ [ k ] , choose a block index i u , r ∈ [ N ] i_{u,r}\in[N] i u , r ∈ [ N ] and a family of independent scalar signs or fourth-root phases ( σ a u , r ) a (\sigma_a^{u,r})_a ( σ a u , r ) a .
All finite choices are enumerated in the reduction; probability notation describes their uniform average. Define the r r r th row by
( L x ) r : = e r T ∑ a 1 , … , a d ( ∏ u ≠ h σ a u u , r ) U a h ( Π x ) i 1 , r , a 1 , … , j , a h , … , i d , r , a d , A : = N d L ∗ L . (66) (Lx)_r:=e_r^T\sum_{a_1,\ldots,a_d}\left(\prod_{u\ne h}\sigma_{a_u}^{u,r}\right)U_{a_h}(\Pi x)_{i_{1,r},a_1,\ldots,j,a_h,\ldots,i_{d,r},a_d},\qquad A:=N^dL^*L. \tag*{(66)} ( Lx ) r := e r T a 1 , … , a d ∑ u = h ∏ σ a u u , r U a h ( Π x ) i 1 , r , a 1 , … , j , a h , … , i d , r , a d , A := N d L ∗ L . (66)
The number of observations is a constant times d N 1 + k ( d − 1 ) dN^{1+k(d-1)} d N 1 + k ( d − 1 ) ; hence the output size is polynomial for fixed k k k , d d d , b s r c b_{\mathrm{src}} b src . Its entries are rational, and each observation has rank at most k k k . Gaussian variables enter only the analysis; no Gaussian samples are encoded in the instance.
Averaging the scalar phases kills unequal labels in nonshared factors. Equation (C.1) kills unequal shared labels and internal coordinates and assigns 1 / k 1/k 1/ k to each output row. Averaging the source indices then gives
E A = Π . (67) \mathbb{E}A=\Pi. \tag*{(67)} E A = Π. (67)
Thus determinant AM–GM bounds every feasible arithmetic objective by one. For a YES witness v v v , the frame P : = ( v ⊗ d / N d / 2 ) ⊗ I k P:=(v^{\otimes d}/N^{d/2})\otimes I_k P := ( v ⊗ d / N d /2 ) ⊗ I k has every scaled output N d / 2 L P N^{d/2}LP N d /2 L P equal to a diagonal phase matrix times the shared unitary selected by v j v_j v j . Every compression is therefore I k I_k I k .
Common good sets and independent-index replacement
Good sets and coefficient energy. For soundness, project a candidate frame onto V V V and, unless it is zero, scale the projection to a matrix T T T with ∥ T ∥ F 2 = k \lVert T\rVert_{F}^{2}=k ∥ T ∥ F 2 = k . This can only increase the objective. For each tensor factor u u u , reshape N / k T \sqrt{N/k}T N / k T with row index ( i u , a u ) (i_u,a_u) ( i u , a u ) and all other indices as columns. The reshaped matrix has columns in W F W_F W F and squared Frobenius norm N N N . Apply Lemma C.2 with τ 0 : = τ H \tau_0 := \tau_H τ 0 := τ H , where τ H \tau_H τ H will be chosen in the parameter list below. It supplies a set G u ⊆ [ N ] G_u \subseteq[N] G u ⊆ [ N ] with discarded fraction at most f : = 8 τ H + M − 2 f := 8\tau_H+M^{-2} f := 8 τ H + M − 2 such that
∑ a u , other indices ∣ T ∣ 2 ≤ k M 2 N , max a u ∑ other indices ∣ T ∣ 2 ≤ k d 0 2 N ( i u ∈ G u ) . (68) \sum_{a_u,\ \text{other indices}} |T|^2 \le\frac{kM^2}{N}, \qquad\max_{a_u}\sum_{\text{other indices}} |T|^2 \le\frac{kd_0^2}{N}\quad(i_u\in G_u). \tag*{(68)} a u , other indices ∑ ∣ T ∣ 2 ≤ N k M 2 , a u max other indices ∑ ∣ T ∣ 2 ≤ N k d 0 2 ( i u ∈ G u ) . (68)
The sets are fixed by T T T , before any random choices in the measurement map. They are the same in every orientation.
The good/bad choices in the d d d factors partition the coefficient tensor into disjoint rectangles, each a Cartesian product of good or bad block-index sets. Let e ∅ e_{\varnothing} e ∅ be 1 / k 1/k 1/ k times its squared Frobenius energy where every i u i_u i u is good. Let e h e_h e h be the same normalized energy where only i h i_h i h is bad. Then
e ∅ + ∑ h = 1 d e h ≤ 1. (69) e_{\varnothing}+\sum_{h=1}^{d}e_h\le1. \tag*{(69)} e ∅ + h = 1 ∑ d e h ≤ 1. (69)
The missing energy lies in rectangles with at least two bad factors. These are disjoint portions of coefficient energy; the determinant itself is not decomposed additively across rectangles.
For d = 2 d=2 d = 2 , the four energies sum to one. The table describes the main retained branches; shared-factor and discarded-event errors are bounded below.
Table 2.
Discarding exceptional independent indices. Fix orientation h h h and write R : = N d / 2 L T R := N^{d/2}LT R := N d /2 L T for its scaled output. Since A = N d L ∗ L A=N^dL^*L A = N d L ∗ L , the observation score of T T T is exactly det ( T ∗ A T ) 1 / k = ∣ det R ∣ 2 / k \det(T^*AT)^{1/k}=|\det R|^{2/k} det ( T ∗ A T ) 1/ k = ∣ det R ∣ 2/ k . Condition on the shared index and unitary family. The rows are independent under the remaining indices and phases. Hadamard gives ∣ det R ∣ 2 / k ≤ ∏ r ∥ R r ∥ 2 / k |\det R|^{2/k}\le\prod_r\lVert R_r\rVert^{2/k} ∣ det R ∣ 2/ k ≤ ∏ r ∥ R r ∥ 2/ k . For a specified bad independent index in row r r r , Hölder yields
E [ 1 b a d ∥ R r ∥ 2 / k ∣ shared ] ≤ f 1 − 1 / k E [ ∥ R r ∥ 2 ∣ shared ] 1 / k . \mathbb{E}[1_{\mathrm{bad}}\lVert R_r\rVert^{2/k}\mid\text{shared}]\le f^{1-1/k}\mathbb{E}[\lVert R_r\rVert^2\mid\text{shared}]^{1/k}. E [ 1 bad ∥ R r ∥ 2/ k ∣ shared ] ≤ f 1 − 1/ k E [∥ R r ∥ 2 ∣ shared ] 1/ k .
Apply the ordinary moment inequality in the other rows, then AM–GM to their second moments. Averaging the shared data and using E ∥ R ∥ F 2 = k \mathbb{E}\lVert R\rVert_F^2=k E ∥ R ∥ F 2 = k for the unrestricted measurement shows that this bad event contributes at most f 1 − 1 / k f^{1-1/k} f 1 − 1/ k . A union bound over m 0 : = k ( d − 1 ) m_0:=k(d-1) m 0 := k ( d − 1 ) pairs ( u , r ) (u,r) ( u , r ) —one for each nonshared factor in each row—shows that restricting every independent index to G u G_u G u costs at most
m 0 f 1 − 1 / k (70) m_0f^{1-1/k} \tag*{(70)} m 0 f 1 − 1/ k (70)
No restriction on the energy carried by the discarded indices has been used.
Replacing retained factors by Gaussian contractions. Next replace each independently indexed factor in each row by a Gaussian contraction. Condition on all other variables. The determinant is a scalar linear form in the current factor, and its full coefficient vector belongs to W F W_F W F because contractions in the other tensor factors preserve that membership. Lemma C.4 applies to this full vector while restricting the average to S S S ; it requires no closure under restriction to S S S . For a retained set S S S , let G S G_S G S contract with independent coefficients N − 1 / 2 g i , a i ∈ S N^{-1/2}g_{i,a_i\in S} N − 1/2 g i , a i ∈ S , and let G a l l G_{\mathrm{all}} G all use all indices. The scalar Gaussian moment identity and Lemma C.4 give
E I , σ [ 1 I ∈ S ∣ det R ∣ 2 / k ] ≤ E G S ∣ det R ∣ 2 / k + ξ E G a l l ∣ det R ∣ 2 / k , ξ : = ϵ S / μ 2 / k . (71) \mathbb{E}_{I,\sigma}[1_{I\in S}|\det R|^{2/k}]\le\mathbb{E}_{G_S}|\det R|^{2/k}+\xi\mathbb{E}_{G_{\mathrm{all}}}|\det R|^{2/k},\qquad\xi:=\epsilon_S/\mu_{2/k}. \tag*{(71)} E I , σ [ 1 I ∈ S ∣ det R ∣ 2/ k ] ≤ E G S ∣ det R ∣ 2/ k + ξ E G all ∣ det R ∣ 2/ k , ξ := ϵ S / μ 2/ k . (71)
We use this comparison conditionally for the determinant. Every subsequent replacement has the same scalar linear form.
Iterating (C.22) produces a positive sum of Gaussian branches. For example, two replacements give four terms with coefficients 1 1 1 , ξ \xi ξ , ξ \xi ξ , ξ 2 \xi^2 ξ 2 . After m 0 m_0 m 0 replacements the coefficients sum to ( 1 + ξ ) m 0 (1+\xi)^{m_0} ( 1 + ξ ) m 0 . The branch retaining every G u G_u G u has coefficient one, so the other coefficients sum to ( 1 + ξ ) m 0 − 1 (1+\xi)^{m_0}-1 ( 1 + ξ ) m 0 − 1 . Every branch has expected volume at most one. Indeed, after all replacements its rows have the form
R r = N e r T ∑ a U a Y r , a , (72) R_r=\sqrt{N}e_r^{\mathsf T}\sum_a U_aY_{r,a}, \tag*{(72)} R r = N e r T a ∑ U a Y r , a , (72)
where Y r , a Y_{r,a} Y r , a contracts the slice of T T T with d − 1 d-1 d − 1 independent standard Gaussian vectors over retained or unrestricted sets. The factor N \sqrt{N} N results from cancelling d − 1 d-1 d − 1 covariance factors 1 / N 1/N 1/ N against the original scale N d N^d N d . If T r r e t T_r^{\mathrm{ret}} T r ret denotes the tensor with the coordinate restrictions used in row r r r , phase isotropy and Gaussian second moments give
E ∥ R ∥ F 2 = 1 k ∑ r = 1 k ∥ T r r e t ∥ F 2 ≤ k . \mathbb{E}\lVert R\rVert_F^2=\frac{1}{k}\sum_{r=1}^{k}\lVert T_r^{\mathrm{ret}}\rVert_F^2\le k. E ∥ R ∥ F 2 = k 1 r = 1 ∑ k ∥ T r ret ∥ F 2 ≤ k .
A restriction on the shared index only deletes nonnegative terms. This is an inequality because coordinates have now been removed; the earlier second-moment equality concerned the unrestricted tensor. Determinant AM–GM bounds each branch by one, proving the total replacement error
( 1 + ξ ) m 0 − 1. (73) (1+\xi)^{m_0}-1. \tag*{(73)} ( 1 + ξ ) m 0 − 1. (73)
In the main branch every nonshared factor is restricted to its common good set. Therefore the collections ( Y r , a ) a (Y_{r,a})_a ( Y r , a ) a are independent and identically distributed across rows.
The shared factor and the surviving rectangles
The independent-factor replacements have made each row a multilinear function of Gaussian vectors. Positive Gaussian degree allows us to compare the remaining shared factor by covariance averaging, without another central-limit argument.
Lemma C.5 (Shared-factor comparison). Fix k ≥ 2 k\ge2 k ≥ 2 , M 1 ≥ 1 M_1\ge1 M 1 ≥ 1 , and ϵ s h > 0 \epsilon_{\mathrm{sh}}>0 ϵ sh > 0 . There is δ 1 > 0 \delta_1>0 δ 1 > 0 , depending only on these parameters, with the following property. Each k × k k\times k k × k random matrix X r , a X_{r,a} X r , a is a multilinear contraction of a deterministic coefficient tensor with D ≥ 1 D\ge1 D ≥ 1 independent standard Gaussian vectors. Within a row r r r , the same D D D vectors are used for every label a a a . Different rows use independent copies, and the collections ( X r , a ) a (X_{r,a})_a ( X r , a ) a are identically distributed across rows. Suppose
max a E ∥ X r , a ∥ F 2 ≤ δ 1 2 N , ∑ a E ∥ X r , a ∥ F 2 ≤ M 1 2 N . \max_a\mathbb{E}\lVert X_{r,a}\rVert_F^2\le\frac{\delta_1^2}{N},\qquad\sum_a\mathbb{E}\lVert X_{r,a}\rVert_F^2\le\frac{M_1^2}{N}. a max E ∥ X r , a ∥ F 2 ≤ N δ 1 2 , a ∑ E ∥ X r , a ∥ F 2 ≤ N M 1 2 . For independent U a ∼ U k U_a\sim U_k U a ∼ U k , independent also of the Gaussian vectors, define
Y r , : : = N ∑ a e r T U a X r , a , Σ : = ∑ a E ( X r , a ∗ X r , a ) . Y_{r,:}:=\sqrt{N}\sum_a e_r^{\mathsf T}U_aX_{r,a},\qquad\Sigma:=\sum_a\mathbb{E}(X_{r,a}^{*}X_{r,a}). Y r , : := N a ∑ e r T U a X r , a , Σ := a ∑ E ( X r , a ∗ X r , a ) . Then
E ∣ det Y ∣ 2 / k ≤ N a k det ( Σ ) 1 / k + ϵ s h ≤ N a k k tr Σ + ϵ s h . (74) \mathbb{E}\lvert\det Y\rvert^{2/k}\le N a_k\det(\Sigma)^{1/k}+\epsilon_{\mathrm{sh}}\le\frac{N a_k}{k}\operatorname{tr}\Sigma+\epsilon_{\mathrm{sh}}. \tag*{(74)} E ∣ det Y ∣ 2/ k ≤ N a k det ( Σ ) 1/ k + ϵ sh ≤ k N a k tr Σ + ϵ sh . (74) The choice of δ 1 \delta_1 δ 1 is independent of N N N , the number of labels, all Gaussian-vector dimensions, and the positive degree D D D .
Proof Step 1: average the covariances of independent Gaussian mixtures. For PSD row covariances define
Ψ ( S 1 , … , S k ) : = E ∣ det [ g 1 S 1 1 / 2 ⋮ g k S k 1 / 2 ] ∣ 2 / k , \Psi(S_1,\ldots,S_k):=\mathbb{E}\left|\det\begin{bmatrix}g_1S_1^{1/2}\\ \vdots\\ g_kS_k^{1/2}\end{bmatrix}\right|^{2/k}, Ψ ( S 1 , … , S k ) := E det g 1 S 1 1/2 ⋮ g k S k 1/2 2/ k ,
where the g r g_r g r are independent standard Gaussian rows. If independent rows R r R_r R r are mixtures of centered Gaussian rows, with unconditional covariances S r : = E ( R r ∗ R r ) S_r:=\mathbb{E}(R_r^*R_r) S r := E ( R r ∗ R r ) , then
E ∣ det R ∣ 2 / k ≤ Ψ ( S 1 , … , S k ) . (75) \mathbb{E}|\det R|^{2/k}\leq\Psi(S_1,\ldots,S_k). \tag*{(75)} E ∣ det R ∣ 2/ k ≤ Ψ ( S 1 , … , S k ) . (75)
Indeed, condition on all rows but one and expand the determinant as a linear form in that row. If its covariance in the mixture is K K K , the conditional moment is μ 2 / k ( z ∗ K z ) 1 / k \mu_{2/k}(z^*Kz)^{1/k} μ 2/ k ( z ∗ K z ) 1/ k for a fixed coefficient vector z z z . Concavity gives E K ( z ∗ K z ) 1 / k ≤ ( z ∗ S r z ) 1 / k \mathbb{E}_K(z^*Kz)^{1/k}\leq(z^*S_rz)^{1/k} E K ( z ∗ K z ) 1/ k ≤ ( z ∗ S r z ) 1/ k , replacing the row by an independent Gaussian of covariance S r S_r S r . Repeat over the rows. This uses row independence and separate covariance concavity, not joint concavity of Ψ \Psi Ψ . The same conditioning shows that Ψ \Psi Ψ is increasing in each covariance in the PSD order.
Step 2: condition on the cyclic shifts. Write U a = diag ( ε a , 1 , … , ε a , k ) C t a U_a=\operatorname{diag}(\varepsilon_{a,1},\ldots,\varepsilon_{a,k})C_{t_a} U a = diag ( ε a , 1 , … , ε a , k ) C t a . Condition on the cyclic shifts t : = ( t a ) a t:=(t_a)_a t := ( t a ) a , leaving the row phases random. The rows of Y Y Y are then independent, because both their phases and their Gaussian groups are independent across r r r . Each row is a mixture of centered Gaussian rows: condition further on its phases and all but one Gaussian group. The remaining dependence is linear in a standard Gaussian vector, and is proper in the complex case. This is where D ≥ 1 D\geq1 D ≥ 1 is essential.
Step 3: control covariance fluctuations. For deterministic PSD matrices
B a , j : = E ( X r , a ∗ e j e j ∗ X r , a ) , b a : = ∑ j tr B a , j = E ∥ X r , a ∥ F 2 , B_{a,j}:=\mathbb{E}(X_{r,a}^*e_je_j^*X_{r,a}),\qquad b_a:=\sum_j\operatorname{tr}B_{a,j}=\mathbb{E}\|X_{r,a}\|_F^2, B a , j := E ( X r , a ∗ e j e j ∗ X r , a ) , b a := j ∑ tr B a , j = E ∥ X r , a ∥ F 2 ,
which do not depend on r r r , phase averaging gives the conditional row covariances
S r ( t ) = N ∑ a B a , π t a ( r ) , S 0 : = E t S r ( t ) = N Σ / k . S_r(t)=N\sum_a B_{a,\pi_{t_a}(r)},\qquad S_0:=\mathbb{E}_tS_r(t)=N\Sigma/k. S r ( t ) = N a ∑ B a , π t a ( r ) , S 0 := E t S r ( t ) = N Σ/ k .
By (C.26), E [ ∣ det Y ∣ 2 / k ∣ t ] ≤ Ψ ( S 1 ( t ) , … , S k ( t ) ) \mathbb{E}[|\det Y|^{2/k}\mid t]\leq\Psi(S_1(t),\ldots,S_k(t)) E [ ∣ det Y ∣ 2/ k ∣ t ] ≤ Ψ ( S 1 ( t ) , … , S k ( t )) . No individual label carries much energy. Quantitatively, independence of the shifts across labels and ∥ B ∥ F ≤ tr B \|B\|_F\leq\operatorname{tr}B ∥ B ∥ F ≤ tr B for PSD B B B give
E t ∥ S r ( t ) − S 0 ∥ F 2 ≤ N 2 k ∑ a , j ∥ B a , j ∥ F 2 ≤ N 2 k ∑ a b a 2 ≤ δ 1 2 M 1 2 k . (76) \begin{aligned}
\mathbb{E}_t\|S_r(t)-S_0\|_F^2\leq\frac{N^2}{k}\sum_{a,j}\|B_{a,j}\|_F^2 \\
&\leq\frac{N^2}{k}\sum_a b_a^2\leq\frac{\delta_1^2M_1^2}{k}. \tag*{(76)}
\end{aligned} E t ∥ S r ( t ) − S 0 ∥ F 2 ≤ k N 2 a , j ∑ ∥ B a , j ∥ F 2 ≤ k N 2 a ∑ b a 2 ≤ k δ 1 2 M 1 2 . (76)
For every choice of shifts, ∑ r tr S r ( t ) = N tr Σ ≤ M 1 2 \sum_r\operatorname{tr}S_r(t)=N\operatorname{tr}\Sigma\leq M_1^2 ∑ r tr S r ( t ) = N tr Σ ≤ M 1 2 . Define
e ( t ) : = max r ∥ S r ( t ) − S 0 ∥ op . e(t):=\max_r\|S_r(t)-S_0\|_{\operatorname{op}}. e ( t ) := r max ∥ S r ( t ) − S 0 ∥ op .
Consequently,
0 ≤ e ( t ) ≤ M 1 2 , E t e ( t ) 2 ≤ δ 1 2 M 1 2 . 0\leq e(t)\leq M_1^2,\qquad\mathbb{E}_te(t)^2\leq\delta_1^2M_1^2. 0 ≤ e ( t ) ≤ M 1 2 , E t e ( t ) 2 ≤ δ 1 2 M 1 2 .
For the first bound, the norm of a difference of PSD matrices is at most the larger of their operator norms; for the second, use (C.27) and sum over r r r .
Step 4: convert covariance error into determinant error. Since S r ( t ) ⪯ S 0 + e ( t ) I S_r(t)\preceq S_0+e(t)I S r ( t ) ⪯ S 0 + e ( t ) I ,
Ψ ( S 1 ( t ) , … , S k ( t ) ) ≤ k a k det ( S 0 + e ( t ) I ) 1 / k . \Psi(S_1(t),\ldots,S_k(t))\leq k a_k\det(S_0+e(t)I)^{1/k}. Ψ ( S 1 ( t ) , … , S k ( t )) ≤ k a k det ( S 0 + e ( t ) I ) 1/ k .
All eigenvalues of S 0 S_0 S 0 are at most M 1 2 / k M_1^2/k M 1 2 / k . Telescoping their product after adding e ≤ M 1 2 e\leq M_1^2 e ≤ M 1 2 gives
0 ≤ det ( S 0 + e I ) − det S 0 ≤ k e ( 2 M 1 2 ) k − 1 . 0\leq\det(S_0+eI)-\det S_0\leq ke(2M_1^2)^{k-1}. 0 ≤ det ( S 0 + e I ) − det S 0 ≤ k e ( 2 M 1 2 ) k − 1 .
Apply ( x + y ) 1 / k − x 1 / k ≤ y 1 / k (x+y)^{1/k}-x^{1/k}\le y^{1/k} ( x + y ) 1/ k − x 1/ k ≤ y 1/ k and then E e 1 1 / k ≤ ( E e 2 ) 1 / ( 2 k ) \mathbb{E}e_1^{1/k}\le(\mathbb{E}e_2)^{1/(2k)} E e 1 1/ k ≤ ( E e 2 ) 1/ ( 2 k ) . Using a k ≤ 1 a_k\le1 a k ≤ 1 , which follows from Gaussian determinant–trace AM–GM, yields an error that tends to zero with δ 1 \delta_1 δ 1 , uniformly in the number of labels and all contraction dimensions:
E ∣ det Y ∣ 2 / k ≤ N a k det ( Σ ) 1 / k + C k M 1 2 − 1 / k δ 1 1 / k , C k : = k ( k 2 k − 1 ) 1 / k . (77) \mathbb{E}|\det Y|^{2/k}\le Na_k\det(\Sigma)^{1/k}+C_kM_1^{2-1/k}\delta_1^{1/k},\qquad C_k:=k(k2^{k-1})^{1/k}. \tag*{(77)} E ∣ det Y ∣ 2/ k ≤ N a k det ( Σ ) 1/ k + C k M 1 2 − 1/ k δ 1 1/ k , C k := k ( k 2 k − 1 ) 1/ k . (77)
Choose δ 1 \delta_1 δ 1 to make this error at most ϵ s h \epsilon_{\mathrm{sh}} ϵ sh . Finally det ( Σ ) 1 / k ≤ tr Σ / k \det(\Sigma)^{1/k}\le\operatorname{tr}\Sigma/k det ( Σ ) 1/ k ≤ tr Σ/ k proves the second inequality. Every estimate allows singular covariances. □ \square □
Application to the retained tensor. Apply the lemma to (C.23) at a good shared index j ∈ G h j\in\mathcal{G}_h j ∈ G h , with D = d − 1 D=d-1 D = d − 1 . If m j , a m_{j,a} m j , a is the squared Frobenius norm of its tensor slice after restricting every other factor to its good set, Gaussian second moments give E ∥ Y r , a ∥ F 2 = m j , a \mathbb{E}\|Y_{r,a}\|_{\mathrm{F}}^2=m_{j,a} E ∥ Y r , a ∥ F 2 = m j , a . Equation (C.19) gives
∑ a m j , a ≤ k M 2 N , max a m j , a ≤ k d 0 2 N . \sum_a m_{j,a}\le\frac{kM^2}{N},\qquad\max_a m_{j,a}\le\frac{kd_0^2}{N}. a ∑ m j , a ≤ N k M 2 , a max m j , a ≤ N k d 0 2 .
Thus take M 1 : = k M M_1:=\sqrt{k}M M 1 := k M and require k d 0 ≤ δ 1 \sqrt{k}d_0\le\delta_1 k d 0 ≤ δ 1 . Let Σ j : = ∑ a E ( Y r , a ∗ Y r , a ) \Sigma_j:=\sum_a\mathbb{E}(Y_{r,a}^{*}Y_{r,a}) Σ j := ∑ a E ( Y r , a ∗ Y r , a ) . The trace of Σ j \Sigma_j Σ j is exactly the retained tensor energy at shared block j j j . Averaging (C.25) over the good shared indices gives
1 N ∑ j ∈ G h E ∣ det R ∣ 2 / k ≤ a k k ∑ j ∈ G h tr Σ j + ϵ s h = a k e ∅ + ϵ s h . (78) \frac{1}{N}\sum_{j\in\mathcal{G}_h}\mathbb{E}|\det R|^{2/k}\le\frac{a_k}{k}\sum_{j\in\mathcal{G}_h}\operatorname{tr}\Sigma_j+\epsilon_{\mathrm{sh}}=a_ke_{\varnothing}+\epsilon_{\mathrm{sh}}. \tag*{(78)} N 1 j ∈ G h ∑ E ∣ det R ∣ 2/ k ≤ k a k j ∈ G h ∑ tr Σ j + ϵ sh = a k e ∅ + ϵ sh . (78)
For a bad shared index, no Gaussian approximation is needed. The second-moment identity gives E ∥ R ∥ F 2 = N tr Σ j \mathbb{E}\|R\|_{\mathrm{F}}^2=N\operatorname{tr}\Sigma_j E ∥ R ∥ F 2 = N tr Σ j at fixed j j j , so
1 N ∑ j ∉ G h E ∣ det R ∣ 2 / k ≤ 1 k ∑ j ∉ G h tr Σ j = e h . (79) \frac{1}{N}\sum_{j\notin\mathcal{G}_h}\mathbb{E}|\det R|^{2/k}\le\frac{1}{k}\sum_{j\notin\mathcal{G}_h}\operatorname{tr}\Sigma_j=e_h. \tag*{(79)} N 1 j ∈ / G h ∑ E ∣ det R ∣ 2/ k ≤ k 1 j ∈ / G h ∑ tr Σ j = e h . (79)
The other factors have already been restricted to their good sets. Accordingly, the right side is the energy where only factor h h h is bad. Combining (C.21), (C.24), (C.29), and (C.30), the objective F h ( T ) F_h(T) F h ( T ) of orientation h h h satisfies
F h ( T ) ≤ a k e ∅ + e h + E e r r , E e r r : = m 0 f 1 − 1 / k + ( 1 + ξ ) m 0 − 1 + ϵ s h . F_h(T)\le a_ke_{\varnothing}+e_h+E_{\mathrm{err}},\qquad E_{\mathrm{err}}:=m_0f^{1-1/k}+(1+\xi)m_0-1+\epsilon_{\mathrm{sh}}. F h ( T ) ≤ a k e ∅ + e h + E err , E err := m 0 f 1 − 1/ k + ( 1 + ξ ) m 0 − 1 + ϵ sh .
Averaging orientations and applying (C.20) therefore yields
F ( T ) ≤ a k e ∅ + 1 d ∑ h e h + E e r r ≤ max { a k , 1 / d } + E e r r . (80) F(T)\le a_ke_{\varnothing}+\frac{1}{d}\sum_h e_h+E_{\mathrm{err}}\le\max\{a_k,1/d\}+E_{\mathrm{err}}. \tag*{(80)} F ( T ) ≤ a k e ∅ + d 1 h ∑ e h + E err ≤ max { a k , 1/ d } + E err . (80)
Error budget and parameter order. The three terms in E e r r E_{\mathrm{err}} E err come respectively from exceptional independent indices, Gaussian replacement branches, and the shared factor. For target slack ϵ \epsilon ϵ , make each smaller than ϵ / 6 \epsilon/6 ϵ /6 . This gives analytic error below ϵ / 2 \epsilon/2 ϵ /2 and leaves the other half for the positive-definite perturbation. The choices have the following order:
Fix k k k , d d d and ϵ \epsilon ϵ . Choose M ≥ 1 M\ge1 M ≥ 1 large and τ H > 0 \tau_H>0 τ H > 0 small enough that m 0 ( 8 τ H + M − 2 ) 1 − 1 / k < ϵ / 6 m_0(8\tau_H+M^{-2})^{1-1/k}<\epsilon/6 m 0 ( 8 τ H + M − 2 ) 1 − 1/ k < ϵ /6 .
Choose 0 < ϵ s h < ϵ / 6 0<\epsilon_{\mathrm{sh}}<\epsilon/6 0 < ϵ sh < ϵ /6 and obtain δ 1 \delta_1 δ 1 from Lemma C.5 at M 1 : = k M M_1:=\sqrt{k}M M 1 := k M . Then choose 0 < d H < 1 0<d_H<1 0 < d H < 1 with k d H ≤ δ 1 \sqrt{k}d_H\le\delta_1 k d H ≤ δ 1 .
Choose ϵ S > 0 \epsilon_S>0 ϵ S > 0 so that ( 1 + ϵ S / μ 2 / k ) m 0 − 1 < ϵ / 6 (1+\epsilon_S/\mu^{2/k})m_0-1<\epsilon/6 ( 1 + ϵ S / μ 2/ k ) m 0 − 1 < ϵ /6 . The proof of Lemma C.4 then supplies M S , τ S , d S M_S,\tau_S,d_S M S , τ S , d S .
Invoke the source theorem once, with parameters satisfying
τ ≤ min { τ H , τ S , 1 / 2 } , \tau\le\min\{\tau_H,\tau_S,1/2\}, τ ≤ min { τ H , τ S , 1/2 } ,
δ 0 ≤ min { d H / 2 , d S / 2 , 1 / 2 } , \delta_0\le\min\{d_H/2,d_S/2,1/2\}, δ 0 ≤ min { d H /2 , d S /2 , 1/2 } ,
η ≤ min { ( 4 M ) − 1 , ( 4 M S ) − 1 , 1 / 2 } . \eta\le\min\{(4M)^{-1},(4M_S)^{-1},1/2\}. η ≤ min {( 4 M ) − 1 , ( 4 M S ) − 1 , 1/2 } .
These parameters give the common good sets with coefficient threshold d 0 = d H d_0 = d_H d 0 = d H and also the prescribed-subset comparison. Only now is b s r c b_{\mathrm{src}} b src fixed, after which the source input size grows. All errors are uniform in the block length and contraction dimensions; otherwise the earlier choices could depend circularly on the block length returned by the source theorem. Thus E e r r < ε / 2 E_{\mathrm{err}} < \varepsilon/2 E err < ε /2 is achievable in (C.31), proving PSD arithmetic hardness.
Encoding and positive-definite observations
The analytic gaps are now established. We next check that the instances can be encoded and feasible outputs evaluated in polynomial time, then extend the gaps to positive-definite observations and the remaining powers. All parameters other than the source input size are fixed in the following bounds.
Rational projections and feasible outputs
Encoding the reduction. The source subspace is the kernel of an integer matrix whose entries belong to { 0 , 1 , − 1 } \{0,1,-1\} { 0 , 1 , − 1 } . Select linearly independent rows to form D D D . If there are no constraints, the projection is I I I ; otherwise
Π W = I − D T ( D D T ) − 1 D . (81) \Pi_W = I - D^{T}(DD^{T})^{-1}D. \tag*{(81)} Π W = I − D T ( D D T ) − 1 D . (81)
The entries of D D T DD^{T} D D T are integers of polynomial magnitude. The adjugate formula and Hadamard’s determinant bound give polynomial bit lengths for its inverse entries. Exact Gaussian elimination and rational matrix multiplication compute (C.32) in polynomial time. All gadget matrices in (C.7) consequently have polynomial-bit rational real and imaginary parts. Enumerating the moment-gadget parameter tuples uses a constant factor depending only on the fixed reduction parameters. The tensor construction has ambient dimension k ( N b s r c ) d k(N_{\mathrm{bsrc}})^d k ( N bsrc ) d and a constant times d N 1 + k ( d − 1 ) dN^{1+k(d-1)} d N 1 + k ( d − 1 ) observations. Tensor powers of Π W \Pi_W Π W multiply the entry bit length by only a fixed factor; the subsequent rational sums and products also have polynomial bit length. Therefore both the dense output size and the reduction time are polynomial. This assertion fixes k k k , d d d , and the approximation slack before the input size grows. No Gaussian random numbers are encoded in either reduction.
Representing a feasible output. A full-column-rank rational matrix R ∈ F n × k R \in\mathbb{F}^{n \times k} R ∈ F n × k specifies the exactly feasible subspace with orthonormal frame P : = R ( R ∗ R ) − 1 / 2 P := R(R^{*}R)^{-1/2} P := R ( R ∗ R ) − 1/2 . Its objective can be evaluated without representing the inverse square root:
det ( P ∗ A i P ) 1 / k = ( det ( R ∗ A i R ) det ( R ∗ R ) ) 1 / k . (82) \det(P^{*}A_iP)^{1/k} =
\left(\frac{\det(R^{*}A_iR)}{\det(R^{*}R)}\right)^{1/k}. \tag*{(82)} det ( P ∗ A i P ) 1/ k = ( det ( R ∗ R ) det ( R ∗ A i R ) ) 1/ k . (82)
Evaluating to promise-gap accuracy. The determinants in the ratio are rational and can be computed exactly; in particular, zero volumes are detected exactly. For fixed rational nonzero p p p , algebraic-root approximation evaluates the power mean to any required fixed additive promise-gap accuracy in polynomial time. The rational numbers involved have polynomial bit length, so their nonzero values are bounded above and below by powers of two with polynomial exponents. When p = 0 p=0 p = 0 , multiply the determinant ratios and take the k k k th root, or add their logarithms; both give the same polynomial-time evaluation with a fixed promise gap. If a positive-weight volume is zero, the objective is zero for p ≤ 0 p \le0 p ≤ 0 .
Distinguishing the promise cases. A deterministic improvement on the hardness factor would therefore imply P = NP. A randomized polynomial-time algorithm returning a feasible rational subspace with an improved factor with probability at least 2 / 3 2/3 2/3 would imply NP = RP. To see the one-sided error explicitly, choose a rational threshold strictly between the reduced NO bound and the promised value of a successful YES output. Reject invalid or rank-deficient output bases. For a valid basis, compute a certified lower bound on its objective with error smaller than the remaining fixed gap, and accept only if this lower bound exceeds the threshold. No feasible output can pass on a NO instance, including outputs on failed random seeds. Every successful YES output passes. This is an RP procedure for an NP-hard promise problem; composing with its deterministic reduction gives N P ⊆ R P \mathrm{NP} \subseteq\mathrm{RP} NP ⊆ RP , hence equality.
At p = 1 p=1 p = 1 , such interval evaluation requires only rational determinants and bisection for their k k k th roots. One does not need to decide equality between an arbitrary sum of algebraic numbers and a rational threshold. The stronger sufficient assumption N P ⊈ B P P \mathrm{NP} \not\subseteq\mathrm{BPP} NP ⊆ BPP also excludes bounded-error value-estimation improvements. The algorithms and the gap reductions themselves do not require a complexity assumption.
Continuity at the nonzero powers used in the reductions
The perturbation below first bounds the change in each volume score. This elementary continuity estimate converts that bound into a change in the objective.
Lemma C.6 (Equal-weight continuity) Let p ≤ 1 p \le1 p ≤ 1 , p ≠ 0 p \ne0 p = 0 , x ∈ [ 0 , H ] m x \in[0,H]^m x ∈ [ 0 , H ] m , y ≥ 0 y \ge0 y ≥ 0 , and ∥ x − y ∥ ∞ ≤ t ≤ 1 \lVert x-y\rVert_\infty\le t \le1 ∥ x − y ∥ ∞ ≤ t ≤ 1 . Then
∣ Mean p [ x ] − Mean p [ y ] ∣ ≤ { m − 1 / p t , p < 0 , ( H + 1 ) 1 − p t p / p , 0 < p < 1 , t , p = 1. (83) \left|\operatorname{Mean}_p[x]-\operatorname{Mean}_p[y]\right|
\le
\begin{cases}
m^{-1/p}t, & p<0,\\
(H+1)^{1-p}t^p/p, & 0<p<1,\\
t, & p=1.
\end{cases} \tag*{(83)} ∣ Mean p [ x ] − Mean p [ y ] ∣ ≤ ⎩ ⎨ ⎧ m − 1/ p t , ( H + 1 ) 1 − p t p / p , t , p < 0 , 0 < p < 1 , p = 1. (83) Proof For positive coordinates and p < 0 p<0 p < 0 , put z i : = x i p z_i:=x_i^p z i := x i p . Differentiation gives
∑ i ∂ Mean p ∂ x i = m − 1 / p ∑ i z i 1 − 1 / p ( ∑ i z i ) 1 − 1 / p ≤ m − 1 / p . \sum_i \frac{\partial\operatorname{Mean}_p}{\partial x_i}
=
m^{-1/p}\frac{\sum_i z_i^{1-1/p}}{\left(\sum_i z_i\right)^{1-1/p}}
\le m^{-1/p}. i ∑ ∂ x i ∂ Mean p = m − 1/ p ( ∑ i z i ) 1 − 1/ p ∑ i z i 1 − 1/ p ≤ m − 1/ p . Integrate along a segment and extend continuously to zero coordinates. For 0 < p < 1 0<p<1 0 < p < 1 , use ∣ a p − b p ∣ ≤ ∣ a − b ∣ p |a^p-b^p|\le|a-b|^p ∣ a p − b p ∣ ≤ ∣ a − b ∣ p and the derivative bound for the outer 1 / p 1/p 1/ p power on [ 0 , ( H + 1 ) p ] [0,(H+1)^p] [ 0 , ( H + 1 ) p ] . The arithmetic case is immediate. □ \square □
A polynomial-bit positive-definite perturbation
Fix − k β < p ≤ 1 -k\beta< p \le1 − k β < p ≤ 1 , p ≠ 0 p \ne0 p = 0 , in the ranges covered by one of the two constructions, and let A 1 , … , A m A_1,\ldots,A_m A 1 , … , A m be its PSD instance. We will use the perturbation A ^ i : = ( A i + t p d I ) / ( 1 + t p d ) \widehat{A}_i:=(A_i+t_{\mathrm{pd}}I)/(1+t_{\mathrm{pd}}) A i := ( A i + t pd I ) / ( 1 + t pd ) . Adding t p d I t_{\mathrm{pd}}I t pd I makes each observation positive definite; dividing by 1 + t p d 1+t_{\mathrm{pd}} 1 + t pd preserves every identity YES compression. It remains to bound the increase in the NO objective and choose t p d t_{\mathrm{pd}} t pd with polynomial bit length.
In the one-index construction, ∥ L i , U ∥ o p 2 ≤ b s r c \lVert L_{i,U}\rVert_{\mathrm{op}}^2 \le b_{\mathrm{src}} ∥ L i , U ∥ op 2 ≤ b src , so ∥ A i ∥ o p ≤ N b s r c \lVert A_i\rVert_{\mathrm{op}} \le Nb_{\mathrm{src}} ∥ A i ∥ op ≤ N b src . In the tensor construction, each row of the unprojected measurement map has squared norm b s r c d b_{\mathrm{src}}^d b src d : each label tuple contributes a unit row vector, and distinct tuples occupy disjoint ambient coordinates. Right multiplication by Π \Pi Π cannot increase the operator norm. Hence
∥ L ∥ o p 2 ≤ k b s r c d , ∥ A i ∥ o p ≤ k ( N b s r c ) d . \lVert L\rVert_{\mathrm{op}}^2 \le kb_{\mathrm{src}}^d,\qquad
\lVert A_i\rVert_{\mathrm{op}} \le k(Nb_{\mathrm{src}})^d. ∥ L ∥ op 2 ≤ k b src d , ∥ A i ∥ op ≤ k ( N b src ) d .
In either case choose the corresponding integer bound B B B on all observation norms. For a rational 0 < t p d ≤ 1 0<t_{\mathrm{pd}}\le1 0 < t pd ≤ 1 , set
A ^ i = A i + t p d I 1 + t p d . (84) \widehat{A}_i=\frac{A_i+t_{\mathrm{pd}}I}{1+t_{\mathrm{pd}}}. \tag*{(84)} A i = 1 + t pd A i + t pd I . (84)
Every matrix is positive definite, every YES compression remains I k I_k I k , and the average matrix is the contraction ( Π + t p d I ) / ( 1 + t p d ) (\Pi+t_{\mathrm{pd}}I)/(1+t_{\mathrm{pd}}) ( Π + t pd I ) / ( 1 + t pd ) . Determinant–trace AM–GM therefore bounds every feasible power mean by one, so the YES value is still exactly one.
For an arbitrary frame, let a i : = det ( P ∗ A i P ) 1 / k ∈ [ 0 , B ] a_i:=\det(P^*A_iP)^{1/k}\in[0,B] a i := det ( P ∗ A i P ) 1/ k ∈ [ 0 , B ] . The compression eigenvalues belong to [ 0 , B ] [0,B] [ 0 , B ] , and hence
0 ≤ det ( P ∗ A i P + t p d I ) − det ( P ∗ A i P ) ≤ k t p d ( B + 1 ) k − 1 . 0\le\det(P^*A_iP+t_{\mathrm{pd}}I)-\det(P^*A_iP)\le kt_{\mathrm{pd}}(B+1)^{k-1}. 0 ≤ det ( P ∗ A i P + t pd I ) − det ( P ∗ A i P ) ≤ k t pd ( B + 1 ) k − 1 .
The inequality ( x + y ) 1 / k − x 1 / k ≤ y 1 / k (x+y)^{1/k}-x^{1/k}\le y^{1/k} ( x + y ) 1/ k − x 1/ k ≤ y 1/ k for x , y ≥ 0 x,y\ge0 x , y ≥ 0 gives the uniform volume bound
det ( P ∗ ( A i + t p d I ) P ) 1 / k ≤ a i + t , t : = [ k t p d ( B + 1 ) k − 1 ] 1 / k . (85) \det(P^{*}(A_i+t_{\mathrm{pd}}I)P)^{1/k}\le a_i+t,\qquad t:=\left[k t_{\mathrm{pd}}(B+1)^{k-1}\right]^{1/k}. \tag*{(85)} det ( P ∗ ( A i + t pd I ) P ) 1/ k ≤ a i + t , t := [ k t pd ( B + 1 ) k − 1 ] 1/ k . (85)
Here t p d t_{\mathrm{pd}} t pd is the perturbation of the matrix, whereas t t t bounds the induced increase in a volume score before normalization. Dividing by 1 + t p d 1+t_{\mathrm{pd}} 1 + t pd can only decrease the upper bound. By monotonicity, the perturbed objective is at most Mean p [ a 1 + t , … , a m + t ] \operatorname{Mean}_p[a_1+t,\ldots,a_m+t] Mean p [ a 1 + t , … , a m + t ] . Lemma C.6 , with H = B H=B H = B , bounds its increase over the original objective.
To limit the objective increase to a prescribed fixed Δ > 0 \Delta>0 Δ > 0 , it suffices to take t ≤ 1 t\le1 t ≤ 1 and
t ≤ { Δ m 1 / p , p < 0 , [ p Δ / ( B + 1 ) 1 − p ] 1 / p , 0 < p < 1 , Δ , p = 1 , 0 < t p d ≤ t k k ( B + 1 ) k − 1 . t\le
\begin{cases}
\Delta m^{1/p}, & p<0,\\
\left[p\Delta/(B+1)^{1-p}\right]^{1/p}, & 0<p<1,\\
\Delta, & p=1,
\end{cases}
\qquad
0<t_{\mathrm{pd}}\le\frac{t^k}{k(B+1)^{k-1}}. t ≤ ⎩ ⎨ ⎧ Δ m 1/ p , [ p Δ/ ( B + 1 ) 1 − p ] 1/ p , Δ , p < 0 , 0 < p < 1 , p = 1 , 0 < t pd ≤ k ( B + 1 ) k − 1 t k .
A sufficiently small dyadic t p d t_{\mathrm{pd}} t pd has polynomial bit length: for fixed nonzero rational p p p , the displayed bounds involve only fixed powers of m m m , B + 1 B+1 B + 1 , and the prescribed fixed slack. Conservative dyadic choices suffice, so no exact irrational constant needs to be encoded. Starting with half the target slack and assigning the other half to Δ \Delta Δ proves the positive-definite version in this range.
Zero power and the negative boundary
The remaining cases of Theorem 5.1 follow by power-mean monotonicity:
p ≤ p ′ ⟹ Mean p [ v i ] ≤ Mean p ′ [ v i ] . p\le p' \quad\Longrightarrow\quad\operatorname{Mean}_p[v_i]\le\operatorname{Mean}_{p'}[v_i]. p ≤ p ′ ⟹ Mean p [ v i ] ≤ Mean p ′ [ v i ] .
We use an auxiliary power p ′ p' p ′ for which hardness is already proved.
The geometric power. For p = 0 p=0 p = 0 , choose a fixed rational 0 < p ′ < 1 0<p'<1 0 < p ′ < 1 so small that α k ( p ′ ) < α k ( 0 ) + ε / 2 \alpha_k(p')<\alpha_k(0)+\varepsilon/2 α k ( p ′ ) < α k ( 0 ) + ε /2 . Apply the PSD or positive-definite p ′ p' p ′ -power reduction with slack less than ε / 2 \varepsilon/2 ε /2 . Its identity YES compressions have geometric mean one, whereas every NO frame satisfies Mean 0 [ v i ] ≤ Mean p ′ [ v i ] ≤ α k ( 0 ) + ε \operatorname{Mean}_0[v_i]\le\operatorname{Mean}_{p'}[v_i]\le\alpha_k(0)+\varepsilon Mean 0 [ v i ] ≤ Mean p ′ [ v i ] ≤ α k ( 0 ) + ε . Thus no geometric-product continuity estimate is needed for the positive-definite construction.
The negative boundary and lower powers. If the target power satisfies p ≤ − k β p\le-k\beta p ≤ − k β , the Gamma formula implies α k ( p ′ ) → 0 \alpha_k(p')\to0 α k ( p ′ ) → 0 as p ′ ↓ − k β p'\downarrow-k\beta p ′ ↓ − k β from above. Indeed, its first Gamma numerator diverges while 1 / p ′ 1/p' 1/ p ′ remains negative and bounded away from zero. Choose a fixed rational − k β < p ′ < 0 -k\beta<p'<0 − k β < p ′ < 0 with α k ( p ′ ) < ε / 2 \alpha_k(p')<\varepsilon/2 α k ( p ′ ) < ε /2 and apply its PSD or positive-definite reduction with slack less than ε / 2 \varepsilon/2 ε /2 . Perfect completeness is unchanged, and in the NO case Mean p [ v i ] ≤ Mean p ′ [ v i ] ≤ ε \operatorname{Mean}_p[v_i]\le\operatorname{Mean}_{p'}[v_i]\le\varepsilon Mean p [ v i ] ≤ Mean p ′ [ v i ] ≤ ε . The auxiliary power is fixed before the source input grows. This completes both versions of Theorem 5.1 ; Section C.4.3 also completes Theorem 5.2 .
Transfer to projection observations
Projective normalization separates a rank-k k k observation’s scale from its range and transfers approximation ratios. The hardness sources have perfect completeness: any observation of rank below k k k rules out an identity YES compression and permits immediate rejection. Otherwise every source observation has rank k k k , so the normalization below applies without rank repair.
Proof (of Lemma 5.3) Write A i = U i D i U i ∗ A_i=U_iD_iU_i^* A i = U i D i U i ∗ with U i ∗ U i = I k U_i^*U_i=I_k U i ∗ U i = I k and D i ≻ 0 D_i\succ0 D i ≻ 0 . Then
det ( P ∗ A i P ) = det ( D i ) ∣ det ( U i ∗ P ) ∣ 2 , \det(P^*A_iP)=\det(D_i)|\det(U_i^*P)|^2, det ( P ∗ A i P ) = det ( D i ) ∣ det ( U i ∗ P ) ∣ 2 ,
so v A i ( P ) = d i v Π i ( P ) v_{A_i}(P)=d_i v_{\Pi_i}(P) v A i ( P ) = d i v Π i ( P ) , where d i = det ( D i ) 1 / k d_i=\det(D_i)^{1/k} d i = det ( D i ) 1/ k . For p ≠ 0 p\ne0 p = 0 , substituting
S : = ∑ i w i d i p , w ~ i : = w i d i p S S:=\sum_i w_i d_i^p,\qquad\widetilde{w}_i:=\frac{w_i d_i^p}{S} S := i ∑ w i d i p , w i := S w i d i p
gives
Mean p , w [ ν A i ( P ) p ] = S 1 / p Mean p , w ~ [ ν Π i ( P ) p ] . \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}\left[\sqrt[p]{\nu A_i(P)}\right] = S^{1/p}\operatorname{Mean}_{p,\widetilde{w}}\left[\sqrt[p]{\nu\Pi_i(P)}\right]. Mean p , w [ p ν A i ( P ) ] = S 1/ p Mean p , w [ p ν Π i ( P ) ] .
For p = 0 p = 0 p = 0 , the weights stay unchanged and the multiplier is ∏ i d i w i \prod_i d_i^{w_i} ∏ i d i w i . Each multiplier is independent of P P P , which is why the corresponding objectives have the same approximation ratios before weight rounding. A rational basis V i V_i V i of the range gives the rational projector Π i = V i ( V i ∗ V i ) − 1 V i ∗ \Pi_i = V_i(V_i^*V_i)^{-1}V_i^* Π i = V i ( V i ∗ V i ) − 1 V i ∗ . The pseudodeterminant e k ( A i ) e_k(A_i) e k ( A i ) is a positive rational number of polynomial bit length. Its fixed rational powers admit positive rational approximations to any prescribed multiplicative precision.
For completeness, if each unnormalized weight is approximated within e ± σ e^{\pm\sigma} e ± σ , each normalized weight lies within e ± 2 σ e^{\pm2\sigma} e ± 2 σ of its target. Hence, for every nonnegative score vector, the two means differ by a factor between e − 2 σ / ∣ p ∣ e^{-2\sigma/|p|} e − 2 σ /∣ p ∣ and e 2 σ / ∣ p ∣ e^{2\sigma/|p|} e 2 σ /∣ p ∣ . This holds also when the mean vanishes. Approximation ratios therefore lose at most e − 4 σ / ∣ p ∣ e^{-4\sigma/|p|} e − 4 σ /∣ p ∣ . The assertion at zero power is exact. □ \square □
Proof (of Theorem 5.4). Suppose a polynomial-time algorithm has approximation factor ρ > α k ( p ) \rho> \alpha_k(p) ρ > α k ( p ) on rational rank-k k k projection observations. Choose a source instance from Theorem 5.1 or 5.2, with fixed soundness slack ε > 0 \varepsilon> 0 ε > 0 . Every source observation has rank at most k k k . Check these ranks exactly. If any has rank below k k k , reject the source instance: it cannot be a YES instance, because an identity compression would force rank at least k k k . Otherwise all source observations already have rank k k k and Lemma 5.3 applies.
For p ≠ 0 p \ne0 p = 0 , choose ε \varepsilon ε and a fixed rational-weight tolerance σ > 0 \sigma> 0 σ > 0 so small that
ρ e − 4 σ / ∣ p ∣ > α k ( p ) + ε . \rho e^{-4\sigma/|p|} > \alpha_k(p) + \varepsilon. ρ e − 4 σ /∣ p ∣ > α k ( p ) + ε .
Projective normalization, with the rational weights described above, loses at most the displayed exponential factor in an approximation ratio. Return the projection algorithm’s subspace in the unchanged original ambient space and evaluate its original objective. On a successful YES run this value exceeds the source NO bound, whereas no feasible output can do so on a NO instance. The certified gap evaluation in Section C.4 therefore distinguishes the source promise. At p = 0 p = 0 p = 0 , normalization leaves the equal source weights unchanged and preserves the ratio exactly; omit the exponential factor. This proves the stated inapproximability in every nonvacuous case. □ \square □
This transfer preserves approximation-ratio hardness. It need not preserve identity YES compressions, equal weights away from zero, or a projection-valued average observation.
Two-view computation and Martin guarantees
The two-view purification proof is in § 6.1 . This appendix supplies the numerical details for Corollary 6.2 and the Martin consequences in § 7 .
Exactness for increasing aggregates
Proof (of Corollary 6.2). A frame projection Y : = P P ∗ Y := PP^* Y := P P ∗ is feasible on the right of (6.3). Conversely, (6.1) and Theorem 6.1 replace every feasible Y Y Y by a frame with both scores at least as large. Monotonicity of G G G proves equality. Upper semicontinuity and compactness give the attainment assertion.
For the stated power means the relaxed objective is concave: each determinant root is concave, and Mean p , w \operatorname{Mean}_{p,w} Mean p , w is concave and increasing for p ≤ 1 p \le1 p ≤ 1 . Approximate convex optimization followed by purification gives the algorithm. Section D.2 establishes its complete precision and running-time bounds, including stable evaluation for rational p p p and rational-basis output. □ \square □
Precision for two-view purification
We prove the computational assertion of Corollary 6.2 using its concave PSD formulation. The case k = n k=n k = n is immediate: return the whole ambient space. Otherwise let 0 < ε < 1 / 2 0<\varepsilon<1/2 0 < ε < 1/2 ; larger requested errors can be handled by using a fixed smaller tolerance. All subspaces below are ultimately encoded by rational bases.
A positive scale and a spectral floor. Let L L L be the complete input bit length. Each rank-k k k rational PSD input has positive eigenvalues between 2 − poly ( n , L ) 2^{-\operatorname{poly}(n,L)} 2 − poly ( n , L ) and 2 poly ( n , L ) 2^{\operatorname{poly}(n,L)} 2 poly ( n , L ) . Its positive scale d i : = e k ( A i ) 1 / k d_i:=e_k(A_i)^{1/k} d i := e k ( A i ) 1/ k has bounds of the same kind. Write
F ( Y ) : = Mean p , w [ d i det ( U i ∗ Y U i ) 1 / k ] , Y ⪰ 0 , tr Y = k . F(Y):=\operatorname{Mean}_{p,w}\left[d_i\det(U_i^*YU_i)^{1/k}\right],\qquad Y\succeq0,\quad\operatorname{tr}Y=k. F ( Y ) := Mean p , w [ d i det ( U i ∗ Y U i ) 1/ k ] , Y ⪰ 0 , tr Y = k .
The central point Y 0 : = ( k / n ) I Y_0:=(k/n)I Y 0 := ( k / n ) I has relaxed scores d i k / n d_i k/n d i k / n . Since every power mean lies between its smallest and largest arguments, F ( Y 0 ) F(Y_0) F ( Y 0 ) is a positive lower bound on the optimum with polynomial-bit logarithm, uniformly in p ≤ 1 p\le1 p ≤ 1 .
Put θ : = ε / 32 \theta:=\varepsilon/32 θ := ε /32 and a : = θ k / n a:=\theta k/n a := θ k / n . Mixing an optimum with Y 0 Y_0 Y 0 in weight θ \theta θ loses at most a factor 1 − θ 1-\theta 1 − θ , by concavity and nonnegativity. It suffices to optimize on
Y ⪰ a I , tr Y = k . Y\succeq aI,\qquad\operatorname{tr}Y=k. Y ⪰ a I , tr Y = k .
Every relaxed score there lies between d i a d_i a d i a and d i d_i d i : the lower bound follows from the spectral floor, and determinant–trace AM–GM gives the upper bound. The domain has a relative-interior ball of polynomial-bit radius in the trace affine space and bounded diameter. Lemma B.1 bounds the relative first derivatives independently of the power. Weak convex optimization with the oracles described in Appendix § 12 therefore finds a rational feasible Y Y Y with
F ( Y ) ≥ ( 1 − 2 θ ) OPT p , k , F(Y)\ge(1-2\theta)\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k}, F ( Y ) ≥ ( 1 − 2 θ ) OPT p , k ,
using a number of bits and operations polynomial in n n n , L L L , log ( 1 / ε ) \log(1/\varepsilon) log ( 1/ ε ) . Smaller internal tolerances followed by a final mixture with Y 0 Y_0 Y 0 reserve a positive spectral margin and ensure exact feasibility after rational rounding.
Stable evaluation for input powers. A rational full-rank basis R i R_i R i for the range of A i A_i A i gives
det ( U i ∗ Y U i ) = det ( R i ∗ Y R i ) det ( R i ∗ R i ) . \det(U_i^*YU_i)=\frac{\det(R_i^*YR_i)}{\det(R_i^*R_i)}. det ( U i ∗ Y U i ) = det ( R i ∗ R i ) det ( R i ∗ Y R i ) .
Thus evaluating the objective and its derivatives requires no irrational input frame. The determinant in the denominator and e k ( A i ) e_k(A_i) e k ( A i ) are positive rationals of polynomial bit length. Logarithms, roots, and determinant derivatives can be evaluated to any requested accuracy with polynomial bit cost.
For clarity, this cost remains polynomial for arbitrarily negative rational p p p . Write the positive relaxed scores as e ℓ i e^{\ell_i} e ℓ i and let ℓ min : = min i ℓ i \ell_{\min}:=\min_i\ell_i ℓ m i n := min i ℓ i . For p < 0 p<0 p < 0 ,
log F ( Y ) = ℓ min + 1 p log ( ∑ i w i e p ( ℓ i − ℓ min ) ) . \log F(Y)=\ell_{\min}+\frac{1}{p}\log\left(\sum_i w_i e^{p(\ell_i-\ell_{\min})}\right). log F ( Y ) = ℓ m i n + p 1 log ( i ∑ w i e p ( ℓ i − ℓ m i n ) ) .
The exponentials are at most one and their weighted sum is at least w min > 0 w_{\min}>0 w m i n > 0 . Terms below the requested absolute tolerance can be discarded. To control a retained exponential, evaluate its log score to the required accuracy divided by max ( 1 , ∣ p ∣ ) \max(1,|p|) max ( 1 , ∣ p ∣ ) . This adds only O ( log ( 2 + ∣ p ∣ ) ) O(\log(2+|p|)) O ( log ( 2 + ∣ p ∣ )) operand bits. The normalized weights w i e p ℓ i / ∑ j w j e p ℓ j w_i e^{p\ell_i}/\sum_jw_je^{p\ell_j} w i e p ℓ i / ∑ j w j e p ℓ j used in the derivative have the same stable evaluation. Near zero, the centered exponential and logarithm expansions in Appendix § 12 avoid cancellation; their additional precision is polynomial in the encoding length of p p p . At zero the log objective is simply ∑ i w i ℓ i \sum_iw_i\ell_i ∑ i w i ℓ i .
Principal vectors to certified precision. Principal vectors can be computed by standard singular-value methods [10 ] . Here is the bit-precision justification needed for rational input. The squared principal cosines are the eigenvalues of the generalized Hermitian problem
R 1 ∗ Π 2 R 1 z = λ R 1 ∗ R 1 z , Π 2 : = R 2 ( R 2 ∗ R 2 ) − 1 R 2 ∗ . R_1^{*}\Pi_2R_1z=\lambda R_1^{*}R_1z,\qquad\Pi_2:=R_2(R_2^{*}R_2)^{-1}R_2^{*}. R 1 ∗ Π 2 R 1 z = λ R 1 ∗ R 1 z , Π 2 := R 2 ( R 2 ∗ R 2 ) − 1 R 2 ∗ .
Its characteristic polynomial has degree at most k k k and rational coefficients of polynomial bit length. After clearing denominators, standard algebraic root-separation bounds separate distinct roots, and any root different from zero or one from those endpoints, by 2 − poly ( n , L ) 2^{-\operatorname{poly}(n,L)} 2 − poly ( n , L ) . Square-free factorization detects multiplicities. Certified eigenspace computation to the required accuracy thus has polynomial bit complexity. A basis inside a repeated eigenspace can be chosen arbitrarily.
For 0 < λ < 1 0<\lambda<1 0 < λ < 1 , if u u u is a corresponding unit principal vector in the first space, use
v : = Π 2 u / λ , f : = ( v − λ u ) / 1 − λ . v:=\Pi_2u/\sqrt{\lambda},\qquad f:=(v-\sqrt{\lambda}u)/\sqrt{1-\lambda}. v := Π 2 u / λ , f := ( v − λ u ) / 1 − λ .
The divisors have polynomial-bit lower bounds. Eigenvalues zero and one use orthogonal and common subspaces directly. The same reasoning applies over C \mathbb{C} C : the generalized problem is Hermitian and has a real rational characteristic polynomial. This analysis does not require simple or well-separated input eigenvalues as an additional assumption; it uses the separation bounds available from their rational encoding.
Purification and rational output. Apply the block construction from the main proof to the computed Y Y Y . For its exact principal blocks, every block diagonal entry is at least a a a , every positive block trace is at least a a a , and every block trace is at most k k k . The square-root formulas therefore require only polynomial-bit precision. Angular clipping can be omitted: the unclipped block vectors already dominate both determinants. Let W W W be the resulting exact orthonormal frame. Then
det ( U i ∗ W W ∗ U i ) ≥ det ( U i ∗ Y U i ) ≥ a k , i = 1 , 2. \det(U_i^{*}WW^{*}U_i)\ge\det(U_i^{*}YU_i)\ge a^k,\qquad i=1,2. det ( U i ∗ W W ∗ U i ) ≥ det ( U i ∗ Y U i ) ≥ a k , i = 1 , 2.
Each compression eigenvalue is at most one, so its smallest eigenvalue is also at least a k a^k a k . This supplies a polynomial-bit conditioning bound for both output log scores, since log ( 1 / a k ) = k log ( 1 / a ) \log(1/a^k)=k\log(1/a) log ( 1/ a k ) = k log ( 1/ a ) is polynomial in the input and log ( 1 / ε ) \log(1/\varepsilon) log ( 1/ ε ) .
Approximate W W W by a rational full-rank matrix B o u t B_{\mathrm{out}} B out . If this approximation is sufficiently accurate, its projector B o u t ( B o u t ∗ B o u t ) − 1 B o u t ∗ B_{\mathrm{out}}(B_{\mathrm{out}}^{*}B_{\mathrm{out}})^{-1}B_{\mathrm{out}}^{*} B out ( B out ∗ B out ) − 1 B out ∗ is close to W W ∗ WW^{*} W W ∗ , and each score logarithm changes by at most θ \theta θ . Standard determinant perturbation bounds on matrices with eigenvalues at least a k a^k a k give such a precision with polynomially many bits. All intermediate principal-vector and square-root errors are included in this same output tolerance. Logarithmic stability from Lemma B.1 transfers it to the power mean independently of p p p . The returned subspace therefore has value at least
e − θ ( 1 − 2 θ ) OPT p , k ≥ ( 1 − 3 θ ) OPT p , k ≥ ( 1 − ε ) OPT p , k . e^{-\theta}(1-2\theta)\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k}\ge(1-3\theta)\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k}\ge(1-\varepsilon)\operatorname{OPT}_{p,k}. e − θ ( 1 − 2 θ ) OPT p , k ≥ ( 1 − 3 θ ) OPT p , k ≥ ( 1 − ε ) OPT p , k .
This proves the stated deterministic running time and relative accuracy for a rational output basis.
The additive Martin guarantees
Use the projection identity (7.2) to pass to dimension s : = min ( k , n − k ) s:=\min(k,n-k) s := min ( k , n − k ) . Let W i W_i W i be the original observation frames when k ≤ n / 2 k\le n/2 k ≤ n /2 , and orthogonal-complement frames otherwise. Rational input range bases have rational nullspace bases computable in polynomial time, so this reduction preserves the rational input model.
The optimal loss is finite for every finite observation family: a standard Gaussian matrix has nonsingular compression to each observation space almost surely, and column normalization preserves this property. In the effective dimension, the relaxation has the logarithmic form
min Y ⪰ 0 − ∑ i w i log det ( W i ∗ Y W i ) . tr Y = s (86) \underset{Y \succeq0}{\operatorname{min}}\;-\sum_i w_i \log\det(W_i^*YW_i).
\quad\text{tr }Y=s \tag*{(86)} Y ⪰ 0 min − i ∑ w i log det ( W i ∗ Y W i ) . tr Y = s (86)
It is the geometric-mean relaxation after the substitution Y : = s X Y := sX Y := s X . Its determinants can be evaluated from rational range bases; no exact irrational orthonormal input frame is required.
Proof (of Theorem 7.1) Apply Theorem 3.2 to the effective s s s -dimensional projection observations at power zero. Its factor is exactly α s ( 0 ) \alpha_s(0) α s ( 0 ) . Taking − s -s − s times the logarithm gives (7.3), and complementing the output back when necessary leaves the loss unchanged.
For the finite-dimensional refinement, apply Theorem 4.2 to the same observations. Put b : = α n , s ( 0 ) b := \alpha_{n,s}(0) b := α n , s ( 0 ) . Lemma A.3 supplies a positive rational lower bound c ≤ b c \le b c ≤ b depending only on the field. Choose factor slack
ζ : = c min { ε , 1 } 2 s . \zeta:= \frac{c\min\{\varepsilon,1\}}{2s}. ζ := 2 s c min { ε , 1 } .
The returned geometric mean is at least b − ζ b-\zeta b − ζ times its original optimum. Since ζ / b ≤ 1 / 2 \zeta/b \le1/2 ζ / b ≤ 1/2 , the additive loss is at most
− s log ( b − ζ ) = − s log b − s log ( 1 − ζ / b ) ≤ Δ s , n + ε . -s\log(b-\zeta)=-s\log b-s\log(1-\zeta/b)\le\Delta_{s,n}+\varepsilon. − s log ( b − ζ ) = − s log b − s log ( 1 − ζ / b ) ≤ Δ s , n + ε .
Thus 1 / ζ 1/\zeta 1/ ζ is polynomial in s s s and max ( 1 , 1 / ε ) \max(1,1/\varepsilon) max ( 1 , 1/ ε ) , giving the stated running time. The explicit expression for Δ s , n \Delta_{s,n} Δ s , n follows by substituting the finite-dimensional Gamma formula at zero power.
Finally, an additive guarantee Δ k − ε \Delta_k-\varepsilon Δ k − ε , uniform over ambient dimension, would give geometric-volume ratio
exp ( − ( Δ k − ε ) / k ) > α k ( 0 ) . \exp\left(-(\Delta_k-\varepsilon)/k\right)>\alpha_k(0). exp ( − ( Δ k − ε ) / k ) > α k ( 0 ) .
Theorem 5.4 excludes this improvement even for equally weighted rational projection observations. At k = n k=n k = n , every overlap has determinant of modulus one, so the loss is zero. ⊔
The explicit two-view Martin solution
Proof (of Proposition 7.2) Apply Theorem 6.1 to Y : = P P ∗ Y := PP^* Y := P P ∗ . Its principal-block construction weakly improves both determinants of every candidate P P P , and the optional clipping puts each block angle in [ 0 , ϕ j ] [0,\phi_j] [ 0 , ϕ j ] . On these block frames, the logarithmic objective separates. Each nontrivial angle maximizes
w log cos θ + ( 1 − w ) log cos ( ϕ − θ ) . w\log\cos\theta+(1-w)\log\cos(\phi-\theta). w log cos θ + ( 1 − w ) log cos ( ϕ − θ ) .
This function is strictly concave on its finite-loss interval. For 0 < ϕ < π / 2 0<\phi<\pi/2 0 < ϕ < π /2 , its stationary equation is w tan θ = ( 1 − w ) tan ( ϕ − θ ) w\tan\theta=(1-w)\tan(\phi-\theta) w tan θ = ( 1 − w ) tan ( ϕ − θ ) . Writing t : = tan θ t := \tan\theta t := tan θ and T : = tan ϕ T := \tan\phi T := tan ϕ gives w T t 2 + t − ( 1 − w ) T = 0 wTt^2+t-(1-w)T=0 w T t 2 + t − ( 1 − w ) T = 0 ; its positive root, rationalized, is (7.6). At ϕ = 0 \phi=0 ϕ = 0 the common direction is optimal. At ϕ = π / 2 \phi=\pi/2 ϕ = π /2 , maximizing w log cos θ + ( 1 − w ) log sin θ w\log\cos\theta+(1-w)\log\sin\theta w log cos θ + ( 1 − w ) log sin θ gives cos 2 θ = w \cos^2\theta=w cos 2 θ = w . For equal weights, symmetry and strict concavity give θ = ϕ / 2 \theta=\phi/2 θ = ϕ /2 in every block. ⊔