We develop the theory of holographic algorithms. We give characterizations of algebraic varieties of realizable symmetric generators and recognizers on the basis manifold, and a polynomial time decision algorithm for the simultaneous realizability problem. Using the general machinery we are able to give unexpected holographic algorithms for some counting problems, modulo certain Mersenne type integers. These counting problems are #P-complete without the moduli. Going beyond symmetric signatures, we define d-admissibility and d-realizability for general signatures, and give a characterization of 2admissibility and some general constructions of admissible and realizable families. 1

Abstract We propose matchgate tensors as a natural and proper language to develop Valiant's newtheory of Holographic Algorithms. We give a treatment of the central theorem in this theory--the Holant Theorem--in terms of matchgate tensors. Some generalizations are presented. 1 Background In a remarkable paper, Valiant [9] in 2004 has proposed a completely new theory of Holographic Algorithms or Holographic Reductions. In this framework, Valiant has developed a most novel methodology of designing polynomial time (indeed NC2) algorithms, a methodology by which one can design a custom made process capable of carrying out a seemingly exponential computation with exponentially many cancellations so that the computation can actually be done in polynomial time. The simplest analogy is perhaps with Strassen's matrix multiplication algorithm [5]. Here the algorithm computes some extraneous quantities in terms of the submatrices, which do not directly appear in the answer yet only to be canceled later, but the purpose of which is to speedup computation by introducing cancelations. In the several cases such clever algorithms had been found, they tend to work in a linear algebraic setting, in particular the computation of the determinant figures prominently [8, 2, 6]. Valiant's new theory manages to create a process of custom made cancelation which gives polynomial time algorithms for combinatorial problems which do not appear to be linear algebraic. In terms of its broader impact in complexity theory, one can view Valiant's new theory as another algorithmic design paradigm which pushes back the frontier of what is solvable by polynomial time. Admittedly, at this early stage, it is still premature to say what drastic consequence it might have on the landscape of the big questions of complexity theory, such as P vs. NP. But the new theory has already been used by Valiant to devise polynomial time algorithms for a number of problems for which no polynomial time algorithms were known before.

Valiant has proposed a new theory of algorithmic computation based on perfect matchings and the Pfaffian. We study the properties of matchgates—the basic building blocks in this new theory. We give a set of algebraic identities which completely characterize these objects in terms of the Grassmann-Plücker identities. In the important case of 4 by 4 matchgate matrices, which was used in Valiant’s classical simulation of a fragment of quantum computations, we further realize a group action on the character matrix of a matchgate, and relate this information to its compound matrix. Then we use Jacobi’s theorem to prove that in this case the invertible matchgate matrices form a multiplicative group. These results are useful in establishing limitations on the ultimate capabilities of Valiant’s theory of matchgate computations and his closely related theory of Holographic Algorithms. 1

Holographic algorithms are a novel approach to design polynomial time computations using linear superpositions. Most holographic algorithms are designed with basis vectors of dimension 2. Recently Valiant showed that a basis of dimension 4 can be used to solve in P an interesting (restrictive SAT) counting problem mod 7. This problem without modulo 7 is #P-complete, and counting mod 2 is NP-hard. We give a general collapse theorem for bases of dimension 4 to dimension 2 in the holographic algorithms framework. We also define an extension of holographic algorithms to allow more general support vectors. Finally we give a Basis Folding Theorem showing that in a natural setting the support vectors can be simulated by bases of dimension 2. 1

Leslie Valiant recently proposed a theory of holographic algorithms. These novel algorithms achieve exponential speed-ups for certain computational problems compared to naive algorithms for the same problems. The methodology uses Pfaffians and (planar) perfect matchings as basic computational primitives, and attempts to create exponential cancellations in computation. In this article we survey this new theory of matchgate computations and holographic algorithms.

We deploy algebraic complexity theoretic techniques for constructing symmetric determinantal representations of weakly-skew circuits, which include formulas. Our representations produce matrices of much smaller dimensions than those given in the convex geometry literature when applied to polynomials having a concise representation (as a sum of monomials, or more generally as an arithmetic formula or a weakly-skew circuit). These representations are valid in any field of characteristic different from 2. In characteristic 2 we are led to an almost complete solution to a question of Bürgisser on the VNP-completeness of the partial permanent. In particular, we show that the partial permanent cannot be VNP-complete in a finite field of characteristic 2 unless the polynomial hierarchy collapses.

Abstract. We define the notion of diversity for families of finite functions, and express the limitations of a simple class of holographic algorithms in terms of limitations on diversity. We go on to describe polynomial time holographic algorithms for computing the parity of the following quantities for degree three planar undirected graphs: the number of 3-colorings up to permutation of colors, the number of connected vertex covers, and the number of induced forests or feedback vertex sets. In each case the parity can be computed for any slice of the problem, in particular for colorings where the first color is used a certain number of times, or where the connected vertex cover, feedback set or induced forest has a certain number of nodes. These holographic algorithms use bases of three components, rather than two. 1