Accelerating Flow-Based Sampling for Large-𝑁 Gauge Theories

Due to its consistency with numerous experimental observations, the Standard Model of particle physics is widely accepted as the best known formulation of elementary particles and their interactions. However, making experimental predictions using the Standard Model involves mathematical and computat...

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Main Author: Zhang, Michael S.
Other Authors: Shanahan, Phiala E.
Format: Thesis
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2024
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/153909
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author Zhang, Michael S.
author2 Shanahan, Phiala E.
author_facet Shanahan, Phiala E.
Zhang, Michael S.
author_sort Zhang, Michael S.
collection MIT
description Due to its consistency with numerous experimental observations, the Standard Model of particle physics is widely accepted as the best known formulation of elementary particles and their interactions. However, making experimental predictions using the Standard Model involves mathematical and computational challenges due to its complexity. Quantum chromodynamics (QCD), which can be described as an SU(3) gauge theory due to the 3 quark colors and 8 gluon types, is one sector of the Standard Model for which computing solutions is especially challenging. A natural theoretical generalization of QCD is the class of all SU(𝑁) gauge theories; these theories also provide a method for some QCD computations in the 𝑁 → ∞ limit. To study these theories numerically, approximations are calculated from configuration samples due to the mathematical complexity and lack of analytical solutions. In this thesis, we explore asymptotically efficient flow-based sampling algorithms for the twisted Eguchi-Kawai (TEK) model, a method for analyzing large-𝑁 QCD numerically. We introduce an original architecture based on SU(2) matrix multiplication that allows for efficient Jacobian computation. In addition, we explore the possibility of transfer learning with respect to the number of colors 𝑁 and demonstrate that a model trained quickly on the SU(𝑁) setting also provides useful information in SU(𝑁′), 𝑁′ > 𝑁 cases.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1539092024-03-22T04:14:38Z Accelerating Flow-Based Sampling for Large-𝑁 Gauge Theories Zhang, Michael S. Shanahan, Phiala E. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Due to its consistency with numerous experimental observations, the Standard Model of particle physics is widely accepted as the best known formulation of elementary particles and their interactions. However, making experimental predictions using the Standard Model involves mathematical and computational challenges due to its complexity. Quantum chromodynamics (QCD), which can be described as an SU(3) gauge theory due to the 3 quark colors and 8 gluon types, is one sector of the Standard Model for which computing solutions is especially challenging. A natural theoretical generalization of QCD is the class of all SU(𝑁) gauge theories; these theories also provide a method for some QCD computations in the 𝑁 → ∞ limit. To study these theories numerically, approximations are calculated from configuration samples due to the mathematical complexity and lack of analytical solutions. In this thesis, we explore asymptotically efficient flow-based sampling algorithms for the twisted Eguchi-Kawai (TEK) model, a method for analyzing large-𝑁 QCD numerically. We introduce an original architecture based on SU(2) matrix multiplication that allows for efficient Jacobian computation. In addition, we explore the possibility of transfer learning with respect to the number of colors 𝑁 and demonstrate that a model trained quickly on the SU(𝑁) setting also provides useful information in SU(𝑁′), 𝑁′ > 𝑁 cases. M.Eng. 2024-03-21T19:15:20Z 2024-03-21T19:15:20Z 2024-02 2024-03-04T16:38:17.756Z Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/153909 In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted Copyright retained by author(s) https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/ application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Zhang, Michael S.
Accelerating Flow-Based Sampling for Large-𝑁 Gauge Theories
title Accelerating Flow-Based Sampling for Large-𝑁 Gauge Theories
title_full Accelerating Flow-Based Sampling for Large-𝑁 Gauge Theories
title_fullStr Accelerating Flow-Based Sampling for Large-𝑁 Gauge Theories
title_full_unstemmed Accelerating Flow-Based Sampling for Large-𝑁 Gauge Theories
title_short Accelerating Flow-Based Sampling for Large-𝑁 Gauge Theories
title_sort accelerating flow based sampling for large 𝑁 gauge theories
url https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/153909
work_keys_str_mv AT zhangmichaels acceleratingflowbasedsamplingforlargengaugetheories