Enhancing the predictability and retrodictability of stochastic processes

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to modify stochastic systems slightly, enhancing the ability to predict and retrodict their future and past states, demonstrated on diffusion networks and quantum systems.

Contribution

It proposes a novel approach to system modification that improves inference of past and future states in stochastic processes, specifically Markov processes.

Findings

Improved predictability of diffusion on random networks.

Enhanced retrodictability of thermalizing quantum systems.

Method applicable to various stochastic processes.

Abstract

Scientific inference involves obtaining the unknown properties or behavior of a system in the light of what is known, typically, without changing the system. Here we propose an alternative to this approach: a system can be modified in a targeted way, preferably by a small amount, so that its properties and behavior can be inferred more successfully. For the sake of concreteness we focus on inferring the future and past of Markov processes and illustrate our method on two classes of processes: diffusion on random spatial networks, and thermalizing quantum systems.