On geometric complexity theory: Multiplicity obstructions are stronger than occurrence obstructions

Abstract

Geometric Complexity Theory as initiated by Mulmuley and Sohoni in two papers (SIAM J Comput 2001, 2008) aims to separate algebraic complexity classes via representation theoretic multiplicities in coordinate rings of specific group varieties. We provide the first toy setting in which a separation can be achieved for a family of polynomials via these multiplicities. Mulmuley and Sohoni's papers also conjecture that the vanishing behavior of multiplicities would be sufficient to separate complexity classes (so-called occurrence obstructions). The existence of such strong occurrence obstructions has been recently disproven in 2016 in two successive papers, Ikenmeyer-Panova (Adv. Math.) and Burgisser-Ikenmeyer-Panova (J. AMS). This raises the question whether separating group varieties via representation theoretic multiplicities is stronger than separating them via occurrences. We provide first finite settings where a separation via multiplicities can be achieved, while the separation via occurrences is provably impossible. These settings are surprisingly simple and natural: We study the variety of products of homogeneous linear forms (the so-called Chow variety) and the variety of polynomials of bounded border Waring rank (i.e. a higher secant variety of the Veronese variety). As a side result we prove a slight generalization of Hermite's reciprocity theorem, which proves Foulkes' conjecture for a new infinite family of cases.