We demonstrate how path integrals often used in problems of theoretical physics can be adapted to provide a machinery for performing Bayesian inference in function spaces. Such inference comes about naturally in the study of inverse problems of recovering continuous (infinite dimensional) coefficient functions from ordinary or partial differential equations, a problem which is typically ill-posed. Regularization of these problems using L2 function spaces (Tikhonov regularization) is equivalent to Bayesian probabilistic inference, using a Gaussian prior. The Bayesian interpretation of inverse problem regularization is useful since it allows one to quantify and characterize error and degree of precision in the solution of inverse problems, as well as examine assumptions made in solving the problem—namely whether the subjective choice of regularization is compatible with prior knowledge. Using path-integral formalism, Bayesian inference can be explored through various perturbative techniques, such as the semiclassical approximation, which we use in this manuscript. Perturbative path-integral approaches, while offering alternatives to computational approaches like Markov-Chain-Monte-Carlo (MCMC), also provide natural starting points for MCMC methods that can be used to refine approximations. In this manuscript, we illustrate a path-integral formulation for inverse problems and demonstrate it on an inverse problem in membrane biophysics as well as inverse problems in potential theories involving the Poisson equation.

We develop mathematical models describing the evolution of stochastic age-structured populations. After reviewing existing approaches, we formulate a complete kinetic framework for age-structured interacting populations undergoing birth, death and fission processes in spatially dependent environments. We define the full probability density for the population-size age chart and find results under specific conditions. Connections with more classical models are also explicitly derived. In particular, we show that factorial moments for non-interacting processes are described by a natural generalization of the McKendrick-von Foerster equation, which describes mean-field deterministic behavior. Our approach utilizes mixed-type, multidimensional probability distributions similar to those employed in the study of gas kinetics and with terms that satisfy BBGKY-like equation hierarchies.

We compute the open Gromov-Witten invariants for every compact semi-Fano toric surface, i.e. a toric surface X with nef anticanonical bundle. Unlike the Fano case, this involves non-trivial obstructions in the corresponding moduli problem. As an application, an explicit expression of the superpotential W for the mirror of X is obtained, which in turn gives an explicit ring presentation of the small quantum cohomology of X. We also give a computational verification of the natural ring isomorphism between the small quantum cohomology of X and the Jacobian ring of W.

We prove that the mirror map is the SYZ map for every toric Calabi-Yau surface. As a consequence one obtains an enumerative meaning of the mirror map. This involves computing genus-zero open Gromov-Witten invariants, which is done by relating them with closed Gromov-Witten invariants via compactification and using an earlier computation by Bryan-Leung.

We compute certain open Gromov-Witten invariants for toric Calabi-Yau threefolds. The proof relies on a relation for ordinary Gromov-Witten invariants for threefolds under certain birational transformation, and a recent result of Kwokwai Chan.