mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

Infrared Universality of Collective Dynamics across Transformer and State-Space Architectures

arXiv 2608.18592 ↗First posted 19 Aug 2026cs.LGcited by 0

On the map: State-space sequence models (S4, Mamba) → Core SSM architectures for language

Abstract (arXiv)

Whether distinct neural architectures develop common collective dynamics remains an open question. Recent analysis of Transformer language models revealed a nearly flat, weakly infrared-enhanced time-scale density of states (TDOS) associated with near-marginal long-memory dynamics. Here we test whether a closely related organization emerges in Mamba, whose selective state-space dynamics provides a fundamentally different microscopic mechanism. Mamba allows relaxation dynamics to be resolved at three levels: the intrinsic spectrum of the learned state-space generator, its input-conditioned selective rescaling, and the collective TDOS of the complete block measured from its Jacobian. These spectra are not identical: selective dynamics and the remaining block transformations substantially reorganize the microscopic relaxation hierarchy. Nevertheless, the full block develops a reproducible slow-mode continuum whose infrared sector becomes progressively better resolved with increasing sequence length. Cumulative analysis yields ρ(λ)~λβ, with the long-sequence Mamba exponent stabilizing near βrm Msimeq-0.17. The corresponding memory dynamics follows K(t)~ t-(1+β), close to the marginal 1/t regime. Despite fundamentally different microscopic dynamics, Transformer full-block spectra exhibit closely related infrared organization, with representative exponents of order βrm Tr~-0.1. These results separate explicit state-space memory from collective infrared organization and show that distinct sequence architectures can develop closely related near-marginal slow-mode dynamics. They extend infrared collective organization beyond Transformers and provide an independent test of the dynamical structure described by Cognitive Field Theory.

Key facts. No citing papers in the map yet (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Core SSM architectures for language, one of 10 directions in State-space sequence models (S4, Mamba). Builds on 16 of its 19 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 19 Aug 2026.

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16 of 19 references.

Closest ancestors · 5

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2024Transformers are SSMs: Generalized Models and Efficient Algorithms Through Structured State Space Duality31 May
  2. 2024Theoretical Foundations of Deep Selective State-Space Models29 Feb
  3. 2023Mamba: Linear-Time Sequence Modeling with Selective State Spaces1 Dec
  4. 2022Simplified State Space Layers for Sequence Modeling9 Aug
  5. 2021Efficiently Modeling Long Sequences with Structured State Spaces31 Oct

Other references · 11

  1. 2020Language Models are Few-Shot Learnerscited by 32,199
  2. 2020Scaling Laws for Neural Language Modelscited by 6,411
  3. 2022Training Compute-Optimal Large Language Modelscited by 2,927
  4. 2023Pythia: A Suite for Analyzing Large Language Models Across Training and Scalingcited by 1,734
  5. 2020HiPPO: Recurrent Memory with Optimal Polynomial Projectionscited by 600
  6. 2022Hungry Hungry Hippos: Towards Language Modeling with State Space Modelscited by 495
  7. 2022On the Parameterization and Initialization of Diagonal State Space Modelscited by 418
  8. 2023Resurrecting Recurrent Neural Networks for Long Sequencescited by 397
  9. 2023Hyena Hierarchy: Towards Larger Convolutional Language Modelscited by 388
  10. 2026Cognitive Field Theory: Memory-Dressed Collective Dynamics of Intelligencecited by 3
  11. 2026Infrared Organization and Critical Cognitive Field Formation in Transformer Dynamicscited by 2

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  7. 2026Latent Object Permanence: Topological Phase Transitions, Free-Energy Principles, and Renormalization Group Flows in Deep Transformer Manifolds
  8. 2024State-space models are accurate and efficient neural operators for dynamical systems