Ronald Katende

LG
h-index1
17papers
2citations
Novelty57%
AI Score51

17 Papers

13.1NAJun 1
Physics-Informed Residuals for Adaptive Mesh Refinement in Finite-Difference PDE Solvers

Henry Kasumba, Ronald Katende

Classical finite-difference solvers remain reliable tools for partial differential equations, but their efficiency depends on where mesh resolution is placed. Uniform refinement can waste degrees of freedom when solution difficulty is localised near sharp gradients, fronts, oscillations, or constraint-sensitive regions. This paper studies a hybrid strategy in which a physics-informed neural network (PINN) is used not as the final solver, but as an off-grid residual probe for adaptive mesh refinement. The PINN residual is sampled over the domain, converted into cellwise indicators, and used to guide refinement before the final approximation is computed by a finite-difference solver. The method is evaluated on three benchmarks. The main full-solver validation uses the one-dimensional viscous Burgers equation with a nonuniform finite-difference solve on the adapted meshes. PINN-threshold refinement attains final relative $L^2$ error $0.021067$ with $60$ degrees of freedom, compared with $0.022617$ for uniform refinement with $192$ degrees of freedom. At matched mesh size, PINN-threshold reduces the error by about $67.5\%$. PINN-D"orfler refinement gives similar performance, with error $0.021264$ using $58$ degrees of freedom. A gradient indicator remains slightly more accurate, so the result supports usefulness rather than universal superiority. Manufactured 2D and 3D proxy tests, based on a nonlinear Schr"odinger equation and an incompressible Navier--Stokes system, show that PINN residuals can organise structured refinement and improve over random refinement, although they do not consistently outperform gradient or uniform baselines. The results support PINN-guided AMR as a residual-indicator strategy for transferring physics-informed diagnostic information into finite-difference mesh adaptation while preserving the classical solver as the final approximation engine.

8.5NAMay 12
Core-Conditioned Regularized Matrix Tri-Factorization for High-Dimensional Structured Systems

Ronald Katende

This paper studies a regularized matrix tri-factorization \(A\approx PDQ\), where \(P\) and \(Q\) are side factors and \(D\) is a central core whose conditioning can be explicitly regularized or constrained. The formulation is a structured low-rank approximation framework, not a replacement for LU, QR, Cholesky, or the singular value decomposition. In the unregularized full-data Frobenius rank-\(r\) problem, truncated SVD remains the optimal benchmark. The contribution here concerns the regularized and core-conditioned setting, where reconstruction accuracy is treated together with factor scale, numerical conditioning, perturbation behavior, and weighted approximation. The analysis establishes the algebraic scope of the \(PDQ\) representation, proves existence of minimizers under coercive regularization, identifies the non-uniqueness induced by latent-space transformations, derives well-posed block updates for the quadratic full-data objective, and gives product-level perturbation bounds. For exact alternating minimization in the full-data quadratic case, it proves descent, boundedness of iterates, and convergence to a critical point under standard Kurdyka--Łojasiewicz assumptions. A full multi-seed validation indicates competitive behavior in noisy and ill-conditioned low-rank approximation while reporting diagnostics not provided by purely spectral baselines, including the learned core condition number and block-system conditioning. The validation also clarifies the method's limits: randomized SVD remains faster for pure spectral compression, and the current weighted missing-entry variant is not uniformly competitive with matrix-completion baselines. The framework is therefore best viewed as a regularized and diagnostically transparent tri-factorization for settings where approximation quality and numerical conditioning must be controlled jointly.

LGNov 4, 2025
Variational Geometric Information Bottleneck: Learning the Shape of Understanding

Ronald Katende

We propose a unified information-geometric framework that formalizes understanding in learning as a trade-off between informativeness and geometric simplicity. An encoder phi is evaluated by U(phi) = I(phi(X); Y) - beta * C(phi), where C(phi) penalizes curvature and intrinsic dimensionality, enforcing smooth, low-complexity manifolds. Under mild manifold and regularity assumptions, we derive non-asymptotic bounds showing that generalization error scales with intrinsic dimension while curvature controls approximation stability, directly linking geometry to sample efficiency. To operationalize this theory, we introduce the Variational Geometric Information Bottleneck (V-GIB), a variational estimator that unifies mutual-information compression and curvature regularization through tractable geometric proxies such as the Hutchinson trace, Jacobian norms, and local PCA. Experiments across synthetic manifolds, few-shot settings, and real-world datasets (Fashion-MNIST, CIFAR-10) reveal a robust information-geometry Pareto frontier, stable estimators, and substantial gains in interpretive efficiency. Fractional-data experiments on CIFAR-10 confirm that curvature-aware encoders maintain predictive power under data scarcity, validating the predicted efficiency-curvature law. Overall, V-GIB provides a principled and measurable route to representations that are geometrically coherent, data-efficient, and aligned with human-understandable structure.

LGSep 18, 2024
Symmetry-Enriched Learning: A Category-Theoretic Framework for Robust Machine Learning Models

Ronald Katende

This manuscript presents a novel framework that integrates higher-order symmetries and category theory into machine learning. We introduce new mathematical constructs, including hyper-symmetry categories and functorial representations, to model complex transformations within learning algorithms. Our contributions include the design of symmetry-enriched learning models, the development of advanced optimization techniques leveraging categorical symmetries, and the theoretical analysis of their implications for model robustness, generalization, and convergence. Through rigorous proofs and practical applications, we demonstrate that incorporating higher-dimensional categorical structures enhances both the theoretical foundations and practical capabilities of modern machine learning algorithms, opening new directions for research and innovation.

MLSep 14, 2024
Topological Eigenvalue Theorems for Tensor Analysis in Multi-Modal Data Fusion

Ronald Katende

This paper presents a novel framework for tensor eigenvalue analysis in the context of multi-modal data fusion, leveraging topological invariants such as Betti numbers. Traditional approaches to tensor eigenvalue analysis often extend matrix theory, whereas this work introduces a topological perspective to enhance the understanding of tensor structures. By establishing new theorems that link eigenvalues to topological features, the proposed framework provides deeper insights into the latent structure of data, improving both interpretability and robustness. Applications in data fusion demonstrate the theoretical and practical significance of this approach, with potential for broad impact in machine learning and data science.

LGSep 11, 2024
Optimizing Neural Network Performance and Interpretability with Diophantine Equation Encoding

Ronald Katende

This paper explores the integration of Diophantine equations into neural network (NN) architectures to improve model interpretability, stability, and efficiency. By encoding and decoding neural network parameters as integer solutions to Diophantine equations, we introduce a novel approach that enhances both the precision and robustness of deep learning models. Our method integrates a custom loss function that enforces Diophantine constraints during training, leading to better generalization, reduced error bounds, and enhanced resilience against adversarial attacks. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach through several tasks, including image classification and natural language processing, where improvements in accuracy, convergence, and robustness are observed. This study offers a new perspective on combining mathematical theory and machine learning to create more interpretable and efficient models.

LGSep 10, 2024
Decentralized Neural Networks for Robust and Scalable Eigenvalue Computation

Ronald Katende

This paper introduces a novel method for eigenvalue computation using a distributed cooperative neural network framework. Unlike traditional techniques that face scalability challenges in large systems, our decentralized algorithm enables multiple autonomous agents to collaboratively estimate the smallest eigenvalue of large matrices. Each agent employs a localized neural network, refining its estimates through communication with neighboring agents. Our empirical results confirm the algorithm's convergence towards the true eigenvalue, with estimates clustered closely around the true value. Even in the presence of communication delays or network disruptions, the method demonstrates strong robustness and scalability. Theoretical analysis further validates the accuracy and stability of the proposed approach, while empirical tests highlight its efficiency and precision, surpassing traditional centralized algorithms in large-scale eigenvalue computations.

DSDec 26, 2025
A Frobenius-Optimal Projection for Enforcing Linear Conservation in Learned Dynamical Models

John M. Mango, Ronald Katende

We consider the problem of restoring linear conservation laws in data-driven linear dynamical models. Given a learned operator $\widehat{A}$ and a full-rank constraint matrix $C$ encoding one or more invariants, we show that the matrix closest to $\widehat{A}$ in the Frobenius norm and satisfying $C^\top A = 0$ is the orthogonal projection $A^\star = \widehat{A} - C(C^\top C)^{-1}C^\top \widehat{A}$. This correction is uniquely defined, low rank and fully determined by the violation $C^\top \widehat{A}$. In the single-invariant case it reduces to a rank-one update. We prove that $A^\star$ enforces exact conservation while minimally perturbing the dynamics, and we verify these properties numerically on a Markov-type example. The projection provides an elementary and general mechanism for embedding exact invariants into any learned linear model.

LGDec 26, 2025
Why Smooth Stability Assumptions Fail for ReLU Learning

Ronald Katende

Stability analyses of modern learning systems are frequently derived under smoothness assumptions that are violated by ReLU-type nonlinearities. In this note, we isolate a minimal obstruction by showing that no uniform smoothness-based stability proxy such as gradient Lipschitzness or Hessian control can hold globally for ReLU networks, even in simple settings where training trajectories appear empirically stable. We give a concrete counterexample demonstrating the failure of classical stability bounds and identify a minimal generalized derivative condition under which stability statements can be meaningfully restored. The result clarifies why smooth approximations of ReLU can be misleading and motivates nonsmooth-aware stability frameworks.

LGDec 24, 2025
Analytic and Variational Stability in Deep Learning Systems

Ronald Katende

We propose a unified analytic and variational framework for stability in deep learning systems viewed as coupled representation-parameter dynamics. The central object is the Learning Stability Profile, which measures how infinitesimal perturbations propagate through representations, parameters, and update mechanisms along the learning trajectory. Our main result, the Fundamental Analytic Stability Theorem, shows that uniform boundedness of these sensitivities is equivalent, up to norm equivalence, to the existence of a Lyapunov-type energy dissipating along the learning flow. In smooth regimes, this yields explicit stability exponents linking spectral norms, activation regularity, step sizes, and learning rates to contractive behavior. Classical spectral stability of feedforward networks, CFL-type conditions for residual architectures, and temporal stability laws for stochastic gradient methods follow as direct consequences. The framework extends to non-smooth systems, including ReLU networks, proximal and projected updates, and stochastic subgradient flows, by replacing classical derivatives with Clarke generalized derivatives and smooth energies with variational Lyapunov functionals. The resulting theory provides a unified dynamical description of stability across architectures and optimization methods, clarifying how design and training choices jointly control robustness and sensitivity to perturbations.

LGFeb 3
A Function-Space Stability Boundary for Generalization in Interpolating Learning Systems

Ronald Katende

Modern learning systems often interpolate training data while still generalizing well, yet it remains unclear when algorithmic stability explains this behavior. We model training as a function-space trajectory and measure sensitivity to single-sample perturbations along this trajectory. We propose a contractive propagation condition and a stability certificate obtained by unrolling the resulting recursion. A small certificate implies stability-based generalization, while we also prove that there exist interpolating regimes with small risk where such contractive sensitivity cannot hold, showing that stability is not a universal explanation. Experiments confirm that certificate growth predicts generalization differences across optimizers, step sizes, and dataset perturbations. The framework therefore identifies regimes where stability explains generalization and where alternative mechanisms must account for success.

LGFeb 1
A Unified Matrix-Spectral Framework for Stability and Interpretability in Deep Learning

Ronald Katende

We develop a unified matrix-spectral framework for analyzing stability and interpretability in deep neural networks. Representing networks as data-dependent products of linear operators reveals spectral quantities governing sensitivity to input perturbations, label noise, and training dynamics. We introduce a Global Matrix Stability Index that aggregates spectral information from Jacobians, parameter gradients, Neural Tangent Kernel operators, and loss Hessians into a single stability scale controlling forward sensitivity, attribution robustness, and optimization conditioning. We further show that spectral entropy refines classical operator-norm bounds by capturing typical, rather than purely worst-case, sensitivity. These quantities yield computable diagnostics and stability-oriented regularization principles. Synthetic experiments and controlled studies on MNIST, CIFAR-10, and CIFAR-100 confirm that modest spectral regularization substantially improves attribution stability even when global spectral summaries change little. The results establish a precise connection between spectral concentration and analytic stability, providing practical guidance for robustness-aware model design and training.

LGJun 25, 2025
Causal Operator Discovery in Partial Differential Equations via Counterfactual Physics-Informed Neural Networks

Ronald Katende

We develop a principled framework for discovering causal structure in partial differential equations (PDEs) using physics-informed neural networks and counterfactual perturbations. Unlike classical residual minimization or sparse regression methods, our approach quantifies operator-level necessity through functional interventions on the governing dynamics. We introduce causal sensitivity indices and structural deviation metrics to assess the influence of candidate differential operators within neural surrogates. Theoretically, we prove exact recovery of the causal operator support under restricted isometry or mutual coherence conditions, with residual bounds guaranteeing identifiability. Empirically, we validate the framework on both synthetic and real-world datasets across climate dynamics, tumor diffusion, and ocean flows. Our method consistently recovers governing operators even under noise, redundancy, and data scarcity, outperforming standard PINNs and DeepONets in structural fidelity. This work positions causal PDE discovery as a tractable and interpretable inference task grounded in structural causal models and variational residual analysis.

LGJun 16, 2025
Non-Asymptotic Stability and Consistency Guarantees for Physics-Informed Neural Networks via Coercive Operator Analysis

Ronald Katende

We present a unified theoretical framework for analyzing the stability and consistency of Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs), grounded in operator coercivity, variational formulations, and non-asymptotic perturbation theory. PINNs approximate solutions to partial differential equations (PDEs) by minimizing residual losses over sampled collocation and boundary points. We formalize both operator-level and variational notions of consistency, proving that residual minimization in Sobolev norms leads to convergence in energy and uniform norms under mild regularity. Deterministic stability bounds quantify how bounded perturbations to the network outputs propagate through the full composite loss, while probabilistic concentration results via McDiarmid's inequality yield sample complexity guarantees for residual-based generalization. A unified generalization bound links residual consistency, projection error, and perturbation sensitivity. Empirical results on elliptic, parabolic, and nonlinear PDEs confirm the predictive accuracy of our theoretical bounds across regimes. The framework identifies key structural principles, such as operator coercivity, activation smoothness, and sampling admissibility, that underlie robust and generalizable PINN training, offering principled guidance for the design and analysis of PDE-informed learning systems.

NAJun 10, 2025
Structured Variational $D$-Decomposition for Accurate and Stable Low-Rank Approximation

Ronald Katende

We introduce the $D$-decomposition, a non-orthogonal matrix factorization of the form $A \approx P D Q$, where $P \in \mathbb{R}^{n \times k}$, $D \in \mathbb{R}^{k \times k}$, and $Q \in \mathbb{R}^{k \times n}$. The decomposition is defined variationally by minimizing a regularized Frobenius loss, allowing control over rank, sparsity, and conditioning. Unlike algebraic factorizations such as LU or SVD, it is computed by alternating minimization. We establish existence and perturbation stability of the solution and show that each update has complexity $\mathcal{O}(n^2k)$. Benchmarks against truncated SVD, CUR, and nonnegative matrix factorization show improved reconstruction accuracy on MovieLens, MNIST, Olivetti Faces, and gene expression matrices, particularly under sparsity and noise.

LGSep 11, 2024
Adaptive Error-Bounded Hierarchical Matrices for Efficient Neural Network Compression

John Mango, Ronald Katende

This paper introduces a dynamic, error-bounded hierarchical matrix (H-matrix) compression method tailored for Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs). The proposed approach reduces the computational complexity and memory demands of large-scale physics-based models while preserving the essential properties of the Neural Tangent Kernel (NTK). By adaptively refining hierarchical matrix approximations based on local error estimates, our method ensures efficient training and robust model performance. Empirical results demonstrate that this technique outperforms traditional compression methods, such as Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), pruning, and quantization, by maintaining high accuracy and improving generalization capabilities. Additionally, the dynamic H-matrix method enhances inference speed, making it suitable for real-time applications. This approach offers a scalable and efficient solution for deploying PINNs in complex scientific and engineering domains, bridging the gap between computational feasibility and real-world applicability.

LGSep 8, 2024
Unified theoretical guarantees for stability, consistency, and convergence in neural PDE solvers from non-IID data to physics-informed networks

Ronald Katende

We establish a unified theoretical framework addressing the stability, consistency, and convergence of neural networks under realistic training conditions, specifically, in the presence of non-IID data, geometric constraints, and embedded physical laws. For standard supervised learning with dependent data, we derive uniform stability bounds for gradient-based methods using mixing coefficients and dynamic learning rates. In federated learning with heterogeneous data and non-Euclidean parameter spaces, we quantify model inconsistency via curvature-aware aggregation and information-theoretic divergence. For Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs), we rigorously prove perturbation stability, residual consistency, Sobolev convergence, energy stability for conservation laws, and convergence under adaptive multi-domain refinements. Each result is grounded in variational analysis, compactness arguments, and universal approximation theorems in Sobolev spaces. Our theoretical guarantees are validated across parabolic, elliptic, and hyperbolic PDEs, confirming that residual minimization aligns with physical solution accuracy. This work offers a mathematically principled basis for designing robust, generalizable, and physically coherent neural architectures across diverse learning environments.