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How do you mathematically define a random line or in general, a random subspace of a Euclidean space?

Mathematics Asked on November 1, 2021

I’m looking for a definition of random $k$-dimensional vector subspace of the Euclidean space $mathbb{R}^d, k, d$ are fixed. I’m guessing one should start with a random basis, i.e. a set of independent random vectors ${X_1 dots X_k} in mathbb{R}^d,$ and then use some kind of quotienting argument. But this is where I’m having a bit of problem: using the quotient construction.

EDIT I: (after seeing the first four comments): So, upon a second thought, it seems to me that one can think of a random subspace as a random variable (i.e. a measurable function $X$) that takes values in the Grassmanian manifold $Gr(d,k), X: Omega to Gr(d,k), 1 le k le d,$ of $k$-dimensional subspaces of $mathbb{R}^d.$ So in particular, a random line would be a random variable/measure function $X: Omega to Gr(d,1) = RP^{d}.$

EDIT II: As mentioned in some of the comments, I need some kind of uniformity to define such a random subspace. Perhaps this is basic, but I’m not sure I completely understand what problem I’d run into if I want $X$ to be non-uniform? I mean for a general Riemannian manifold, non-uniform random variables exist…

I’d appreciate a rigorous definition or a reference here.

P.S. If we can start with a random line for now to keep things simple, that’d also be great!

2 Answers

I will extend my comment above.

What you need is a probability measure $mu$ on the Grassmannian $Gr(d, k)$ (endowed with the Borel $sigma$-algebra). It is then meaningful to talk about the probability of your random subspace lying in a given open subset of the Grassmannian.

The natural choice is to view the Grassmannian as a quotient $operatorname{GL}_d(Bbb K)/P_{d - k, k}$, where $Bbb K$ is your coefficient field (i.e. $Bbb K = Bbb R$ if you only consider real vector spaces), and $P_{d - k, k}$ is the parabolic subgroup consisting of all block upper-triangular matrices with block sizes $d - k$ and $k$ on the diagonal, i.e. $$P_{d - k, k} = left{begin{pmatrix}A & B\0 & Dend{pmatrix}:Ainoperatorname{GL}_{d - k}(Bbb K), D in operatorname{GL}_k(Bbb K)right}.$$

You would naturally want to define a $operatorname{GL}_d(Bbb K)$-invariant measure on this quotient. However, there is no such a measure, because $operatorname{GL}_d(Bbb K)$ is unimodular, while the parabolic subgroup $P_{d - k, k}$ isn't. (It is possible, in this case, to define a "twisted" version of Haar measure, but you will not be able to integrate it against a function on the Grassmannian, so it's not useful to us.)

However, in the case $Bbb K = Bbb R$, there is a way to overcome this. The point is that requiring it to be $operatorname{GL}_d$-invariant is perhaps too strong and unnecessary. Instead, we can use Iwasawa decomposition to rewrite the Grassmannian as $O_d(Bbb R)/(O_{d - k}(Bbb R) times O_k(Bbb R))$. Now every group is compact and hence unimodular, so we may define a Haar measure on this quotient. It is $O_d(Bbb R)$-invariant.

It should be easy to extend this method to other local fields, e.g. $Bbb K = Bbb C$ or $Bbb Q_p$ or $Bbb F_p(t)$.

Answered by WhatsUp on November 1, 2021

Since there's still no answer, I'll give it a try. This might not be the most elegant method to construct what you want, but at least it's something. User WhatsUp's idea with the Haar measure on the Grassmannian as a homogenous space is probably way more elegant, but I don't know enough about it to make it into a satisfactory answer.

I'll drop $sigma$-algebras throughout. It's always either the Borel $sigma$-algebra, since we're mostly talking about topological spaces, or the $sigma$-algebra induced by a map.

Method 1: Span of Random Basis

We'll choose $k$ independent unit vectors at random and take their span. So we'll take a $tilde S_k:=underbrace{S^{d-1}timesdotstimes S^{d-1}}_{ktextrm{ times}}$ valued random variable $X=(X_1,dots,X_k)$. Then the map $operatorname{span}(X)$ is a random variable with values in the set $operatorname{Sub}(d)$ of subspaces of $mathbb R^d$. We'll have to do some technical work to make the vectors independent so $operatorname{span}(X)$ only takes values in the set of $k$-dimensional subspaces, i.e., the Grassmannian $operatorname{Gr}(d,k)$.

Obviously, $operatorname{Gr}(d,k)subseteqoperatorname{Sub}(d)$. Consider the map $operatorname{span}:tilde S_ktooperatorname{Sub}(d)$. The preimage of $operatorname{Gr}(d,k)$ under this map is exactly the set of independent $k$-tuples in $tilde S_k$. That's what we need. So we define:

$$S_k:=operatorname{span}^{-1}(operatorname{Gr}(d,k)).$$

This is the set of independent $k$-tuples in $tilde S_k$. Now we're ready to construct random $k$-dimensional subspaces:

Let $X=(X_1,dots,X_k)$ be an $S_k$ valued random variable. Then $operatorname{span}(X)$ is a $operatorname{Gr}(d,k)$ valued random variable. In other words, a random $k$-dimensional subspace of $mathbb R^d$.

Method 2: Sum of Random Subspaces

We'll choose $k$ 1d subspaces (= lines through the origin) and take their sum. So we take an $tilde L_k:=underbrace{mathbb R P^{d-1}timesdotstimesmathbb R P^{d-1}}_{ktextrm{ times}}$ valued random variable $X=(X_1,dots,X_k)$, and then $$operatorname{sum}(X_1,dots, X_k):=sumlimits_{n=1}^k X_n=operatorname{span}(X_1,dots, X_k)$$ is a random variable with values in $operatorname{Sub}(d)$. We take the same technical steps to ensure that $operatorname{sum}$ only takes on values in $operatorname{Gr}(d,k)$: define

$$L_k:=operatorname{sum}^{-1}(operatorname{Gr}(d,k)).$$

This is essentially the set of all $k$-tuples of 1d-subspaces whose sum is direct. Then take an $L_k$ valued random variable $X=(X_1,dots, X_k)$ and consider the $operatorname{Gr}(d,k)$ valued random variable $operatorname{sum}(X)$. This is a random $k$-dimensional subspace of $mathbb R^d$

Answered by Vercassivelaunos on November 1, 2021

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