Natural-density logarithmic Collatz descent | ProofAtlas

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ProofAtlas research case study

Starting frontierTao: logarithmic-density almost-boundednessAI-developed checked resultNatural density + an explicit logarithmic clock

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Number theory · dynamical systems · formalization overview

For thresholds tending to infinity along odd inputs, odd-relative-density-one many odd starts descend within 145 · log N Syracuse steps; for thresholds tending to infinity on all positive inputs, ordinary-natural-density-one many positive starts descend within 436 · log N raw Collatz steps.

Scope: The checked package gives two related logarithmic-time conclusions: odd-relative natural density one among odd starts for the Syracuse clause with f tending to infinity along odd inputs, and ordinary natural density one among positive starts for the raw Collatz clause with f tending to infinity on all positive inputs. It also records a dependent square-root raw-time bracket.

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Main theorem · featured result

Natural-Density Almost-Bounded Collatz Orbits in Logarithmic Time

For thresholds tending to infinity along odd inputs, odd-relative-density-one many odd starts descend within 145 · log N Syracuse steps; for thresholds tending to infinity on all positive inputs, ordinary-natural-density-one many positive starts descend within 436 · log N raw Collatz steps.

The theorem dossier brings together the expanded exact proposition, the theorem schematic, a step-by-step proof walkthrough, complete checked source, and checker evidence.

Lean checkedBuild passedUnfinished proof stepsNoneAccepted formalizationNamed review gates passed

The theorem at a glance

Two logarithmic-time density conclusions at a glance

The proof uses a global power-law phase gap and fixed quantitative rate, turns fixed-target control into an odd-relative Syracuse conclusion, then uses the two-adic lift to obtain the ordinary-density raw Collatz conclusion.

Read the exact theorem and checked proofMain theorem · expanded proposition · 8-stage proof walkthrough · Lean evidence

Ivory editorial poster separating an odd-relative-density Syracuse result for odd starts from an ordinary-natural-density raw Collatz result for positive starts, with exact clocks and four proof movements.
Original dark-green metadata cover for the paper Natural-Density Almost-Bounded Collatz Orbits in Logarithmic Time by Lech Mazur, with a phase-gap circle and descending logarithmic trajectories.

Companion research paper

Natural-Density Almost-Bounded Collatz Orbits in Logarithmic Time

Lech Mazur · 2026-07-21 · 27 pages

A mathematical paper developing the natural-density-one logarithmic-time Collatz descent theorem, its Rhin phase-gap input, the quantitative rate architecture, the Syracuse-to-raw-time bridge, and the square-root time-window corollary.

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Paper, rights, and source relationship

Hosting authorized by the rightsholder. Original ProofAtlas metadata cover; not a reproduction of a paper page.

Lech Mazur, “Natural-Density Almost-Bounded Collatz Orbits in Logarithmic Time,” version 2, 21 July 2026.

  • The paper is mathematical exposition linked to the same theorem family; the exact checked Lean declarations and pinned source remain authoritative if wording differs.
  • The paper discusses a theorem that permits a density-zero exceptional set and does not claim the full Collatz conjecture or convergence of every orbit.

Collatz results landscape

How these results relate

depends onstrengthenscomparison only

The atlas keeps proof dependencies separate from stronger sibling results and useful comparisons. The two lanes below are disconnected: neither predecessor-count family is an input to the density-and-time family.

Predecessor-count bounds

Three exact 0.90 theorem variants

Density and logarithmic time

Rhin feeds the quantitative rate engine

Exact relationship evidence
  • Reviewed dependency path: Rhin phase gap → ND31 main → ND31 bounds → same-exponent rate → fixed rate → the two sibling density-family endpoints. Six retained depends_on edges support this contracted path.
  • Comparison only: the Terras result is explicitly recorded as a separate companion, not an input to the natural-density proof.
  • No inferred edge: shared source files, a common subject, or historical background do not create a theorem dependency.

Scope limits

What this formalization does not claim

  • This does not prove the Collatz conjecture, convergence for every start, or arrival at 1; a density-zero exceptional set may remain.
  • The threshold must tend to infinity but need not be monotone, and the hit below it is strict.
  • The odd-relative Syracuse conclusion and ordinary-density raw Collatz conclusion have different domains and must not be collapsed into one claim about all positive starts.
  • The 145 bound counts odd-to-odd Syracuse steps, while the 436 bound counts raw Collatz steps including halvings.
  • The square-root lower clock belongs only to the companion square-root corollary, not to the general growing-threshold theorem.
  • The separate Terras power-saving finite-stopping theorem is a companion comparison, not an input to this proof.
Additional theorem and supporting-result diagrams

Theorem schematic

Two density domains within two logarithmic clocks

Two stacked scientific lanes separate odd Syracuse starts from all positive Collatz starts, with blue logarithmic-time envelopes, green successful trajectories, gold threshold hits, and sparse red exceptions.
The Syracuse endpoint uses odd-relative density among odd starts; the raw Collatz endpoint uses ordinary density among positive starts.

odd-relative density(Syracuse hit) = 1 with C_syr < 145; ordinary density(raw Collatz hit) = 1 with C_coll < 436

For thresholds growing along odd inputs, odd-relative-density-one many odd starts have a Syracuse hit before 145 · log N odd-to-odd steps. For thresholds growing on all positive inputs, ordinary-natural-density-one many positive starts have a raw Collatz hit before 436 · log N individual steps.

Theorem schematic

A square-root hit inside a logarithmic window

Scientific figure illustrating: For natural-density-one many starts, a raw Collatz hit below √N occurs inside a genuine logarithmic time window.
For natural-density-one many starts, a raw Collatz hit below √N occurs inside a genuine logarithmic time window.

log N/(2 log 2) < m ≤ C_coll log N < 436 log N and Collatz^m(N) < √N

The same witness time is strictly greater than log N divided by 2 log 2 and no greater than the checked raw Collatz clock, which is below 436 · log N. The lower bound is special to the square-root target.

The theorem at a glance

Square-root logarithmic time window at a glance

The natural-density theorem supplies the upper clock for the square-root threshold. A deterministic halving argument supplies the strict lower clock, and the checked corollary retains one witness satisfying both inequalities.

Ivory editorial poster for the square-root raw-Collatz time-window theorem, with the exact strict lower clock, checked upper clock, threshold-crossing traces, and three proof movements.
About these visual explanations

These AI-generated visuals explain the theorem and proof route; they are not proof evidence. Their publication review was completed separately from review of the formal result. The exact Lean proposition and checked source remain authoritative.

Continue the mathematics

Open questions and extensions

Use the checked natural-density theorem to study stronger time constants, explicit density-convergence rates for restricted threshold classes, or other dynamical systems where arithmetic phase gaps feed quantitative mixing and descent.

What the source ZIP contains

The ZIP contains the checked first-party Lean import closure, exact statements and boundaries, license, notice, evidence, source-footprint manifest, and continuation data. Mathlib and other third-party dependencies are not bundled.

Complete checked Lean source · 599 Lean files · 2 evidence records · Download ZIPDownload theorem relationships and proof stages (JSON)Browse the checked source onlineDownload main Lean file: Paper.lean

Declarations covered by evidence
2

First-party Lean files
599

Lean source lines
182,625

Main recorded file
224 lines

Explained proof route
8 proof stages

How the source is counted

Line counts exclude blank lines; comments and documentation count. The total is the deduplicated, commit-pinned first-party Lean import closure; Mathlib and other third-party dependencies are excluded. Declaration count means names covered by the artifact's recorded evidence, not every declaration in the source. Source footprint is not a difficulty or proof-quality score.

Independent review

Review record

Independent review accepted

Lean checks the exact proof. Independent reviewers accepted evidence completeness, statement alignment, scope, and public wording; the visual review covers explanation only.

01

Formal evidence

Independent review accepted the recorded build, exact declarations, unfinished-step scan, and axiom evidence.

02

Statement alignment

The formal declaration was accepted against the named theorem and its exact variant.

03

Result boundary

The accepted boundary keeps nearby stronger or commonly confused claims out of scope.

04

Public wording

Independent review accepted the retained theorem explanation and source presentation. Generated media follows a separate review and promotion gate.

05

Canonical source

The first-party source link is pinned to the checked package commit and exact Lean file.

06

Accepted result

A validated accepted-result record binds the four reviews to the checked formalization.