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Physics-Informed Machine Learning Survey

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Physics-Informed Machine Learning Survey

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xiangyong duanmu
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© © All Rights Reserved
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1

Physics-Informed Machine Learning: A Survey


on Problems, Methods and Applications
Zhongkai Hao, Songming Liu, Yichi Zhang, Chengyang Ying, Yao Feng,
Hang Su, Jun Zhu

Abstract—Recent advances of data-driven machine learning have revolutionized fields like computer vision, reinforcement learning,
and many scientific and engineering domains. In many real-world and scientific problems, systems that generate data are governed by
physical laws. Recent work shows that it provides potential benefits for machine learning models by incorporating the physical prior and
collected data, which makes the intersection of machine learning and physics become a prevailing paradigm. By integrating the data
and mathematical physics models seamlessly, it can guide the machine learning model towards solutions that are physically plausible,
arXiv:2211.08064v2 [[Link]] 7 Mar 2023

improving accuracy and efficiency even in uncertain and high-dimensional contexts. In this survey, we present this learning paradigm
called Physics-Informed Machine Learning (PIML) which is to build a model that leverages empirical data and available physical prior
knowledge to improve performance on a set of tasks that involve a physical mechanism. We systematically review the recent
development of physics-informed machine learning from three perspectives of machine learning tasks, representation of physical prior,
and methods for incorporating physical prior. We also propose several important open research problems based on the current trends
in the field. We argue that encoding different forms of physical prior into model architectures, optimizers, inference algorithms, and
significant domain-specific applications like inverse engineering design and robotic control is far from being fully explored in the field of
physics-informed machine learning. We believe that the interdisciplinary research of physics-informed machine learning will
significantly propel research progress, foster the creation of more effective machine learning models, and also offer invaluable
assistance in addressing long-standing problems in related disciplines.

Index Terms—Physics-Informed Machine Learning, AI for Science, PDE/ODE, Symmetry, Intuitive Physics

1 I NTRODUCTION of data. The powerful abstraction ability of deep neural


networks also motivates researchers to apply them on sci-
The paradigm of scientific research in recent decades has
entific problems in modeling physical systems. For example,
undergone a revolutionary change with the development of
AlphaFold 2 [7] has revolutionized the paradigm of protein
computer technology. Traditionally, researchers used theo-
structure prediction. Similarly, FourCastNet [8] has built an
retical derivation combined with experimental verification
ultra-large learning-based weather forecasting system that
to study natural phenomena. With the development of
surpasses traditional numerical forecasting systems. Deep
computational methods, a large number of methods based
Potential [9] proposed neural models for learning large-scale
on computer numerical simulation have been developed
molecular potential satisfying symmetry. The integration
to understand complex real systems. Nowadays, with the
of prior knowledge of physics, which represents a high-
automation and batching of scientific experiments, scientists
level abstraction of natural phenomena or human behaviors,
have accumulated a large amount of observational data. The
with data-driven machine learning models is becoming a
paradigm of (data-driven) machine learning is to understand and
new paradigm since it has the potential to facilitate novel
build models that leverage empirical data to improve performance
discoveries and solutions to challenges across a diverse
on some set of tasks [1]. It is an important research area to pro-
range of domains.
mote the development of modern science and engineering
Moreover, despite the impressive advancements of ma-
technology with the aid of learning from observational data
chine learning based models, there remain significant lim-
since we could extract a lot of information from data.
itations when deploying purely data-driven models in
As part of the remarkable progress of machine learning
real-world applications. In particular, data-driven machine
in recent years, deep neural networks [2] have achieved
learning models can suffer from several limitations such
milestone breakthroughs in the fields of computer vision
as a lack of robustness, interpretability, and adherence to
[3], natural language processing [4], speech processing [5],
physical constraints or commonsense reasoning. In com-
and reinforcement learning [6]. Their flexibility and scala-
puter vision, recognizing and understanding the geometry,
bility allow neural networks to be easily applied to many
shape, texture, and dynamics from images or videos can
different domains, as long as there is a sufficient amount
pose a significant challenge for deep neural networks, which
can lead to limitations in their ability to extrapolate beyond
• Zhongkai Hao, Songming Liu, Yichi Zhang, Chengyang Ying, Yao Feng, their training data. Additionally, such models have demon-
Hang Su, Jun Zhu are with Dept. of Comp. Sci. & Techn., Institute for AI,
BNRist Center, Tsinghua-Bosch Joint ML Center, Tsinghua University, strated suboptimal performance outside of their training
Email: {hzj21, liusm18, zyc22, ycy21, y-feng20}@[Link], distribution [10] and are susceptible to adversarial attacks
{suhangss, dcszj}@[Link], via human-imperceptible noise [11]. In deep reinforcement
• Jun Zhu is also with RealAI.
learning, an agent may learn to take actions that result in

Common questions

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Incorporating physical prior knowledge helps machine learning models perform better in scientific and engineering applications by enhancing robustness, interpretability, and adherence to physical constraints. This integration guides models to respect underlying principles of physics, which can lead to more accurate and reliable predictions, even with limited or noisy data. Additionally, it helps address challenges associated with data scarcity and common machine learning limitations, such as overfitting and extrapolation beyond training data .

Physics-Informed Machine Learning has the potential to significantly impact the resolution of long-standing scientific problems by providing models that adhere to fundamental physical principles, enhancing prediction accuracy and understanding of phenomena. In disciplines like climate science, PIML can improve the accuracy of weather forecasts beyond traditional numerical systems, as seen with FourCastNet. In biology, it aids in accurately predicting protein structures, which is crucial for drug discovery and understanding diseases. Overall, PIML provides frameworks that can incorporate both data and theories, allowing for a deeper exploration of complex systems and fostering breakthroughs across various scientific domains .

Physics-informed approaches address the limitations of purely data-driven models by embedding domain-specific physical laws and constraints, thereby enhancing robustness, interpretability, and the ability to extrapolate. Purely data-driven models often lack robustness and can perform poorly when subjected to data outside their training distribution. By integrating physical constraints, these approaches can better generalize beyond the available data, maintain fidelity to physical laws, and reduce vulnerability to adversarial attacks, overcoming issues such as lack of common sense reasoning and sensitivity to human-imperceptible noise .

Computational advancements have revolutionized scientific research paradigms by enabling the shift from theoretical derivations and experimental verification to data-driven machine learning models. High-capacity computing allows researchers to process large datasets, facilitating the creation of models that can analyze complex systems thoroughly. This has led to significant breakthroughs in fields like computer vision, natural language processing, and scientific modeling. Machine learning applications like deep neural networks provide scalable and flexible solutions to understand and predict natural phenomena, fostering innovation in domains such as biology with AlphaFold 2 and weather forecasting with FourCastNet .

Deep neural networks play a critical role in advancing machine learning models' capabilities, particularly in modeling physical systems. Their powerful abstraction ability allows them to extract and learn complex representations from large datasets. Applications such as Deep Potential show how neural networks can learn large-scale molecular potential, incorporating symmetries observed in nature for accurate modeling. Despite the challenges of data-driven models, such as lack of commonsense reasoning, neural networks' scalability and flexibility facilitate improved predictions and insights when combined with physics-based knowledge, allowing for enhanced modeling of physical phenomena .

AlphaFold 2 is a prominent application of deep neural networks in scientific modeling, exemplifying the use of physical prior knowledge. It revolutionized protein structure prediction by incorporating the physical principles of protein folding, which enhances its prediction accuracy and reliability. This integration of physics-based knowledge with deep learning allows AlphaFold 2 to predict protein structures with unprecedented precision, aiding biochemistry and drug discovery .

Some open research problems in Physics-Informed Machine Learning include the development of new methods for encoding complex physical priors into model architectures and inference algorithms. This involves creating scalable algorithms that accommodate domain-specific applications like inverse engineering design and robotic control. There is also a need for more efficient ways to integrate and balance data-driven and physics-based approaches, address scalability issues, and improve models' generalization capabilities. Moreover, exploring seamless integration of machine learning models with interdisciplinary fields and investigating how to leverage physics for improving model robustness under adversarial conditions are critical paths for future exploration .

Identifying suitable methods for incorporating physical prior into machine learning models, particularly in high-dimensional contexts, poses significant challenges. High-dimensional data increase computational complexity and can obscure the influence of physical constraints, making it difficult to identify relevant features and laws. Moreover, most existing methods lack scalability and may not seamlessly integrate with the diverse dynamic behaviors inherent in complex systems. Another challenge lies in the development of model architectures and algorithms that can dynamically adjust the weighting of the physical priors based on context or data uncertainty, demanding sophisticated inference mechanisms and optimizers .

Purely data-driven machine learning models face limitations in real-world applications primarily due to their lack of robustness and difficulty in extrapolating beyond training data. These models often do not adhere to physical constraints or commonsense reasoning, leading to suboptimal performance when confronted with unfamiliar data outside their training distribution. They are also more susceptible to adversarial attacks and can interpretance noise as relevant features, which diminishes their reliability and application scope in complex, unpredictable environments .

Physics-Informed Machine Learning (PIML) is a paradigm that integrates physical prior knowledge into data-driven machine learning models to improve their performance in tasks governed by physical mechanisms. Unlike traditional data-driven models, which solely rely on empirical data, PIML leverages both the data and the mathematical physics models to guide solutions towards those that are physically plausible. This approach aims to improve model accuracy and efficiency, especially in uncertain and high-dimensional contexts .

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