Structural and Semantic Irreducibility of Random 3-SAT: An Unconditional Omega(n) Lower Bound.

Random 3-SAT formulas above the satisfiability threshold are a canonical source of hard instances for both SAT algorithms and proof systems. In this work, we propose a unified, instance-level explanation for this hardness based on two unconditional properties: structural explosion and semantic irreducibility. We introduce the Assignment-DAG Partition Complexity (ADPC) and prove that the space of partial assignments fragments into exponentially many locally distinguishable subproblems. We then introduce the Semantic Depth Invariant (SDI) and prove that SDI(F)=Omega(n), establishing that unsatisfiability is a global property invisible to bounded-local verifiers. Finally, we demonstrate that SDI strictly subsumes Resolution width, recovering classical exponential lower bounds as a direct corollary.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-01-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18407613
Primary Topic
Formal Methods in Verification
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Structural and Semantic Irreducibility of Random 3-SAT: An Unconditional Omega(n) Lower Bound.

Harsha Vardhan Routhu
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Formal Methods in Verification
article

Structural and Semantic Irreducibility of Random 3-SAT: An Unconditional Omega(n) Lower Bound.

Harsha Vardhan Routhu
article en

Abstract

Random 3-SAT formulas above the satisfiability threshold are a canonical source of hard instances for both SAT algorithms and proof systems. In this work, we propose a unified, instance-level explanation for this hardness based on two unconditional properties: structural explosion and semantic irreducibility. We introduce the Assignment-DAG Partition Complexity (ADPC) and prove that the space of partial assignments fragments into exponentially many locally distinguishable subproblems. We then introduce the Semantic Depth Invariant (SDI) and prove that SDI(F)=Omega(n), establishing that unsatisfiability is a global property invisible to bounded-local verifiers. Finally, we demonstrate that SDI strictly subsumes Resolution width, recovering classical exponential lower bounds as a direct corollary.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Openalex Percentile: Top 72%
Formal Methods in Verification
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.