# A Dirac-Frenkel-Onsager principle: Instantaneous residual minimization with gauge momentum for nonlinear parametrizations of PDE solutions

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.00284 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.00284/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 11 of its 38 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 30 Apr 2026.

## Builds on (most cited first, 11 of 11)

- [Solving high-dimensional partial differential equations using deep learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1707.02568/) (2017)
- [Neural Galerkin Schemes with Active Learning for High-Dimensional Evolution Equations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.01360/) (2022)
- [Evolutional Deep Neural Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2103.09959/) (2021)
- [Implicit Neural Spatial Representations for Time-dependent PDEs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2210.00124/) (2022)
- [A Kaczmarz-inspired approach to accelerate the optimization of neural network wavefunctions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.10190/) (2024)
- [Randomized Sparse Neural Galerkin Schemes for Solving Evolution Equations with Deep Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.04867/) (2023)
- [A Stable and Scalable Method for Solving Initial Value PDEs with Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.14994/) (2023)
- [Particle-based Energetic Variational Inference](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2004.06443/) (2020)
- [Improving Energy Natural Gradient Descent through Woodbury, Momentum, and Randomization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.12149/) (2025)
- [Coupling parameter and particle dynamics for adaptive sampling in Neural Galerkin schemes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.15630/) (2023)
- [Sequential-in-time training of nonlinear parametrizations for solving time-dependent partial differential equations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.01145/) (2024)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Dirac-Frenkel dynamics with inertia for nonlinearly parametrized solutions of evolution problems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.24769/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Dirac-Frenkel instantaneous residual minimization evolves nonlinear parametrizations of PDE solutions in time, but ill-conditioning can render the parameter dynamics non-unique. We interpret this non-uniqueness as a gauge freedom: nullspace directions that leave the time derivative unchanged can be used to select better-conditioned parameter velocities. Building on Onsager's minimum-dissipation principle, we introduce a history variable -- interpretable as momentum -- and inject it only along the nullspace directions. The resulting Dirac-Frenkel-Onsager dynamics preserve instantaneous residual minimization, in contrast to standard regularization that can introduce bias, while promoting temporally smooth parameter evolutions. Examples demonstrate that the approach leads to increased robustness in singular and near-singular regimes.