Hybrid quantum-classical framework for Betti number estimation with applications to topological data analysis

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Nghiem, Nhat A., Wei, Tzu-Chieh
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Nghiem, Nhat A.
Wei, Tzu-Chieh
author_facet Nghiem, Nhat A.
Wei, Tzu-Chieh
contents Topological data analysis (TDA) is a rapidly growing area that applies techniques from algebraic topology to extract robust features from large-scale data. A key task in TDA is the estimation of (normalized) Betti numbers, which capture essential topological invariants. While recent work has led to quantum algorithms for this problem, we explore an alternative direction: combining classical and quantum resources to estimate the Betti numbers of a simplicial complex more efficiently. Assuming the classical description of a simplicial complex, that is, its set of vertices and edges, we propose a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm. The classical component enumerates all simplices, and this combinatorial structure is subsequently processed by a quantum algorithm to estimate the Betti numbers. We analyze the performance of our approach and identify regimes where it potentially achieves polynomial to exponential speedups over existing quantum methods, at the trade-off of using more ancilla qubits. We further demonstrate the utility of normalized Betti numbers in concrete applications, highlighting the broader potential of hybrid quantum algorithms in topological data analysis.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_01516
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Hybrid quantum-classical framework for Betti number estimation with applications to topological data analysis
Nghiem, Nhat A.
Wei, Tzu-Chieh
Quantum Physics
Topological data analysis (TDA) is a rapidly growing area that applies techniques from algebraic topology to extract robust features from large-scale data. A key task in TDA is the estimation of (normalized) Betti numbers, which capture essential topological invariants. While recent work has led to quantum algorithms for this problem, we explore an alternative direction: combining classical and quantum resources to estimate the Betti numbers of a simplicial complex more efficiently. Assuming the classical description of a simplicial complex, that is, its set of vertices and edges, we propose a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm. The classical component enumerates all simplices, and this combinatorial structure is subsequently processed by a quantum algorithm to estimate the Betti numbers. We analyze the performance of our approach and identify regimes where it potentially achieves polynomial to exponential speedups over existing quantum methods, at the trade-off of using more ancilla qubits. We further demonstrate the utility of normalized Betti numbers in concrete applications, highlighting the broader potential of hybrid quantum algorithms in topological data analysis.
title Hybrid quantum-classical framework for Betti number estimation with applications to topological data analysis
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.01516