On the minimal algebraic complexity of the rank-one approximation problem for general inner products

Abstract

We study the algebraic complexity of Euclidean distance minimization from a generic tensor to a variety of rank-one tensors. The Euclidean Distance (ED) degree of the Segre-Veronese variety counts the number of complex critical points of this optimization problem. We regard this invariant as a function of inner products and conjecture that it achieves its minimal value at Frobenius inner product. We prove our conjecture in the case of matrices. We discuss the above optimization problem for other algebraic varieties, classifying all possible values of the ED degree. Our approach combines tools from Singularity Theory, Morse Theory, and Algebraic Geometry.