A Newton-Okounkov Body Viewpoint on the SOS Conjecture

Abstract

Let $z\in \mathbb C^n$ be the complex coordinates on $\mathbb C^n$, and $A(z,\bar z)$ be a real-valued Hermitian polynomial. The famous Ebenfelt's SOS conjecture asks for the minimum rank of $A(z,\bar z)\|z\|^2$ under the restriction that $A(z,\bar z)\|z\|^2$ is an SOS. Assume that $A(z,\bar z)$ is bihomogeneous. In the present note, we establish a connection between Ebenfelt's (Weak) SOS Conjecture and the theory of Newton-Okounkov bodies. By reformulating the conjecture in terms of lattice semigroups and their associated Newton-Okounkov convex bodies, we transform the problem of finding the minimal rank of a prolonged sum-of-squares polynomial into an extremal problem in convex geometry. In particular, we prove that this minimal rank is attained at the extreme points of a specific Newton-Okounkov body. Furthermore, if $A(z,\bar z)$ is moreover diagonal, we demonstrate that the relevant extreme points are finitely many rational points, thereby reducing the verification of the conjecture to a computationally tractable problem. This work provides a new tool for attacking the SOS Conjecture.