Machine learning detects terminal singularities

Tom Coates; Alexander M. Kasprzyk; Sara Veneziale

Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2310.20458

Machine learning detects terminal singularities

Tom Coates·Alexander M. Kasprzyk·Sara Veneziale

View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Algebraic varieties are the geometric shapes defined by systems of polynomial equations; they are ubiquitous across mathematics and science. Amongst these algebraic varieties are Q-Fano varieties: positively curved shapes which have Q-factorial terminal singularities. Q-Fano varieties are of fundamental importance in geometry as they are "atomic pieces" of more complex shapes - the process of breaking a shape into simpler pieces in this sense is called the Minimal Model Programme. Despite their importance, the classification of Q-Fano varieties remains unknown. In this paper we demonstrate that machine learning can be used to understand this classification. We focus on 8-dimensional positively-curved algebraic varieties that have toric symmetry and Picard rank 2, and develop a neural network classifier that predicts with 95% accuracy whether or not such an algebraic variety is Q-Fano. We use this to give a first sketch of the landscape of Q-Fanos in dimension 8. How the neural network is able to detect Q-Fano varieties with such accuracy remains mysterious, and hints at some deep mathematical theory waiting to be uncovered. Furthermore, when visualised using the quantum period, an invariant that has played an important role in recent theoretical developments, we observe that the classification as revealed by ML appears to fall within a bounded region, and is stratified by the Fano index. This suggests that it may be possible to state and prove conjectures on completeness in the future. Inspired by the ML analysis, we formulate and prove a new global combinatorial criterion for a positively curved toric variety of Picard rank 2 to have terminal singularities. Together with the first sketch of the landscape of Q-Fanos in higher dimensions, this gives new evidence that machine learning can be an essential tool in developing mathematical conjectures and accelerating theoretical discovery.

Explore related subjects

math.AG cs.LG

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

Tom Coates, Alexander M. Kasprzyk, Sara Veneziale. 2023-10-31. Machine learning detects terminal singularities. https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.20458

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Shrinking dynamic on multidimensional tropical series

Let $Ω\subset\mathbb R^n$ be a compact convex domain. An $Ω$-tropical series is a nonnegative, concave, integral-slope, piecewise-affine function on $Ω$ that vanishes on $\partialΩ$. For a finite set $P\subsetΩ^\circ$, we study the least such function above prescribed initial data whose corner locus contains $P$. It is obtained by repeatedly applying one-point shrinking operators $G_p$. We prove that every fair order of these operators stabilizes after finitely many nontrivial steps. We also describe an event-driven implementation that records the lowest monomials at each point and updates only affected watcher lists. Finally, we show that, on every compact subset of $Ω^\circ$, the resulting dynamics can be approximated by a finite path whose intermediate tropical hypersurfaces have only mild singularities on that compact set; equivalently, the corresponding local cells of the dual regular subdivision contain no lattice points other than their vertices.

math.AG↗

arXiv2026

A stacky $p$-adic Riemann--Hilbert correspondence on Hitchin-small locus

Let $C$ be an algebraically closed perfectoid field over $\mathbb{Q}_p$ with the ring of integer $\mathcal{O}_C$ and the infinitesimal thickening $\Ainf$. Let $\mathfrak X$ be a semi-stable formal scheme over $\mathcal{O}_C$ with a fixed flat lifting $\widetilde{\mathfrak X}$ over $\Ainf$. Let $X$ be the generic fiber of $\mathfrak{X}$ and $\widetilde X$ be its lifting over $\BdRp$ induced by $\widetilde{\mathfrak X}$. Let $\MIC_r(\widetilde X)^{{\rm H}\text{-small}}$ and $\rL\rS_r(X,\BBdRp)^{{\rm H}\text{-small}}$ be the $v$-stacks of rank-$r$ Hitchin-small integrable connections on $X_{\et}$ and $\BBdRp$-local systems on $X_{v}$, respectively. In this paper, we establish an equivalence between these two stacks by introducing a new period sheaf with connection $(\calO\bB_{\dR,\pd}^+,\rd)$ on $X_{v}$.

math.AG↗

arXiv2026

A refinement of the coherence conjecture of Pappas and Rapoport

The coherence conjecture of Pappas and Rapoport, proved by Zhu, asserts the equality of dimensions for the global sections of a line bundle over a spherical Schubert variety in the affine Grassmannian and those of another line bundle over a certain union of Schubert varieties in a partial affine flag variety. We refine this equality of dimensions to an isomorphism of representations. The comparison is established by introducing a parahoric Bruhat-Tits group scheme $\mathcal{G}$ over the affine line, ramified at 0. We further strengthen this comparison by equipping any line bundle on the global Schubert variety of $\mathcal{G}$ with a unique equivariant structure under the global jet group scheme. As an application, we obtain new relations among affine Demazure modules.

math.AG↗