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Unexpected scores for uniform vector edge case when knn query is applied toint8_hnsw #109416

@marko-bekhta

Description

@marko-bekhta

Elasticsearch Version

8.14.0

Installed Plugins

No response

Java Version

bundled

OS Version

Linux fedora 6.8.11-200.fc39.x86_64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Sun May 26 20:05:41 UTC 2024 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Problem Description

With the recent release, using the default index_option.type (which ends up creating a dense_vector of int8_hnsw type) may result in identical scores for different vectors, and as a result, the similarity filter of the knn query is also not filtering out the results.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Create a simple index having two vector properties. In this example, the index_options.type are set explicitly:
PUT http://localhost:9200/test-floatvector-index-000001
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "mappings": {
    "dynamic": "strict",
    "properties": {
      "vector_int8": {
        "type": "dense_vector",
        "dims": 128,
        "index": true,
        "similarity": "l2_norm",
        "index_options": {
          "type": "int8_hnsw",
          "m": 16,
          "ef_construction": 100
        }
      },
      "vector_hnsw": {
        "type": "dense_vector",
        "dims": 128,
        "index": true,
        "similarity": "l2_norm",
        "index_options": {
          "type": "hnsw",
          "m": 16,
          "ef_construction": 100
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
  1. Add a few documents:
POST http://localhost:9200/test-floatvector-index-000001/_doc/1
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "vector_int8": [0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1],
  "vector_hnsw": [0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1]
}
POST http://localhost:9200/test-floatvector-index-000001/_doc/2
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "vector_int8": [0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2],
  "vector_hnsw": [0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2]
}
POST http://localhost:9200/test-floatvector-index-000001/_doc/3
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "vector_int8": [0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3],
  "vector_hnsw": [0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3]
}
POST http://localhost:9200/test-floatvector-index-000001/_doc/4
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "vector_int8": [0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4],
  "vector_hnsw": [0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4]
}
  1. Run a simple query:
POST http://localhost:9200/test-floatvector-index-000001/_search
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "query": {
    "knn": {
      "field": "vector_int8",
      "num_candidates": 5,
      "query_vector": [0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1]
    }
  },
  "_source": false
}

results in:

"hits": [
  {
    "_index": "test-floatvector-index-000001",
    "_id": "1",
    "_score": 1.0
  },
  {
    "_index": "test-floatvector-index-000001",
    "_id": "2",
    "_score": 1.0
  },
  {
    "_index": "test-floatvector-index-000001",
    "_id": "3",
    "_score": 1.0
  },
  {
    "_index": "test-floatvector-index-000001",
    "_id": "4",
    "_score": 1.0
  }
]

all documents retuned with the same score of 1.0

when running the same query for the hnsw field:

POST http://localhost:9200/test-floatvector-index-000001/_search
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "query": {
    "knn": {
      "field": "vector_hnsw",
      "num_candidates": 5,
      "query_vector": [0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1]
    }
  },
  "_source": false
}

the result is:

"hits": [
  {
    "_index": "test-floatvector-index-000001",
    "_id": "1",
    "_score": 1.0
  },
  {
    "_index": "test-floatvector-index-000001",
    "_id": "2",
    "_score": 0.43859646
  },
  {
    "_index": "test-floatvector-index-000001",
    "_id": "3",
    "_score": 0.16339867
  },
  {
    "_index": "test-floatvector-index-000001",
    "_id": "4",
    "_score": 0.0798722
  }
]

This also result in [similarity](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/knn-search.html#knn-similarity-search) filter in a knn query to have no effect.

Elasticsearch is started from the official docker image.

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:Search Relevance/VectorsVector search>bugTeam:Search RelevanceMeta label for the Search Relevance team in Elasticsearchpriority:normalA label for assessing bug priority to be used by ES engineers

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