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Main Authors: Gorard, Jonathan, Hakim, Ammar, Qin, Hong, Parfrey, Kyle, Jha, Shantenu
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.03849
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author Gorard, Jonathan
Hakim, Ammar
Qin, Hong
Parfrey, Kyle
Jha, Shantenu
author_facet Gorard, Jonathan
Hakim, Ammar
Qin, Hong
Parfrey, Kyle
Jha, Shantenu
contents Many inverse problems in nuclear fusion and high-energy astrophysics research, such as the optimization of tokamak reactor geometries or the inference of black hole parameters from interferometric images, necessitate high-dimensional parameter scans and large ensembles of simulations to be performed. Such inverse problems typically involve large uncertainties, both in the measurement parameters being inverted and in the underlying physics models themselves. Monte Carlo sampling, when combined with modern non-linear dimensionality reduction techniques such as autoencoders and manifold learning, can be used to reduce the size of the parameter spaces considerably. However, there is no guarantee that the resulting combinations of parameters will be physically valid, or even mathematically consistent. In this position paper, we advocate adopting a hybrid approach that leverages our recent advances in the development of formal verification methods for numerical algorithms, with the goal of constructing parameter space restrictions with provable mathematical and physical correctness properties, whilst nevertheless respecting both experimental uncertainties and uncertainties in the underlying physical processes.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_03849
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Improved Dimensionality Reduction for Inverse Problems in Nuclear Fusion and High-Energy Astrophysics
Gorard, Jonathan
Hakim, Ammar
Qin, Hong
Parfrey, Kyle
Jha, Shantenu
Machine Learning
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Nuclear Theory
Computational Physics
Many inverse problems in nuclear fusion and high-energy astrophysics research, such as the optimization of tokamak reactor geometries or the inference of black hole parameters from interferometric images, necessitate high-dimensional parameter scans and large ensembles of simulations to be performed. Such inverse problems typically involve large uncertainties, both in the measurement parameters being inverted and in the underlying physics models themselves. Monte Carlo sampling, when combined with modern non-linear dimensionality reduction techniques such as autoencoders and manifold learning, can be used to reduce the size of the parameter spaces considerably. However, there is no guarantee that the resulting combinations of parameters will be physically valid, or even mathematically consistent. In this position paper, we advocate adopting a hybrid approach that leverages our recent advances in the development of formal verification methods for numerical algorithms, with the goal of constructing parameter space restrictions with provable mathematical and physical correctness properties, whilst nevertheless respecting both experimental uncertainties and uncertainties in the underlying physical processes.
title Improved Dimensionality Reduction for Inverse Problems in Nuclear Fusion and High-Energy Astrophysics
topic Machine Learning
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Nuclear Theory
Computational Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.03849