Coloring the Noise: Adversarial Sobolev Alignment for Faithful Image Super Resolution
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Abstract (arXiv)
Generative priors in Image Super-Resolution (SR) often compromise faithful restoration, we attribute this limitation to a fundamental spectral misalignment between isotropic objectives and the intrinsic natural image manifold. While Direct Preference Optimization offers a path to alignment, its reliance on spectrally flat Gaussian noise fails to distinguish authentic high-frequency details from hallucinations. To bridge this geometric gap, we propose ASASR, a theoretically grounded framework that recasts the generative flow into a Sobolev-induced Riemannian geometry by explicitly coloring the noise transition kernel to mirror natural spectral decay. Driving this geometric alignment, we integrate a parametric adversary grounded in the Riesz Representation Theorem, which synthesizes targeted negative samples equivalent to worst-case Sobolev gradients to direct optimization along the tangent space of plausible structural failures. Extensive evaluations demonstrate that ASASR outperforms leading generative baselines, particularly in preserving spectral consistency and structural fidelity, offering a robust solution that effectively mitigates artifacts.
Key facts. Cited by 1 paper in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 41 of its 50 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 22 May 2026.
Builds on
41 of 50 references.
References · 41
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29 more
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Citing papers per year: 2026: 1.
1 paper.
- 2026LPM: Industrial-Scale Generative Video Restorationcited by 0
- 2026LPM: Industrial-Scale Generative Video Restoration15 Jul 2026
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- 2021Image Super-Resolution via Iterative Refinement
- 2025Generative Manifold Distillation: Aligning Restoration Trajectories with Natural Image Prior
- 2026AlloSR2: Rectifying One-Step Super-Resolution to Stay Real via Allomorphic Generative Flows
- 2024Trustworthy SR: Resolving Ambiguity in Image Super-resolution via Diffusion Models and Human Feedback
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