diff --git a/Complexity.lean b/Complexity.lean
index dba79c39b..ad46a23b0 100644
--- a/Complexity.lean
+++ b/Complexity.lean
@@ -2392,6 +2392,7 @@ public import Complexity.Foundations.Analysis.RowCompression.Iteration
 public import Complexity.Foundations.Analysis.RowCompression.Preloss
 public import Complexity.Foundations.Analysis.SpecialFunctions.Arccos
 public import Complexity.Foundations.Analysis.SpecialFunctions.PolynomialSwitch
+public import Complexity.Foundations.Analysis.SpecialFunctions.RationalRamp
 public import Complexity.Foundations.Analysis.SpecialFunctions.SmoothSwitch
 public import Complexity.Foundations.BooleanAnalysis.Bernoulli
 public import Complexity.Foundations.BooleanAnalysis.Bonami
diff --git a/Complexity/Foundations/Analysis/SpecialFunctions/RationalRamp.lean b/Complexity/Foundations/Analysis/SpecialFunctions/RationalRamp.lean
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f4b694aca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Complexity/Foundations/Analysis/SpecialFunctions/RationalRamp.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+/-
+Copyright (c) 2026 Samuel Schlesinger. All rights reserved.
+Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
+Authors: Samuel Schlesinger
+-/
+
+module
+-- upstream: candidate
+
+public import Complexity.Init
+public import Mathlib.Basic.Real.Basic
+public import Mathlib.Analysis.SpecialFunctions.Pow.Real
+public import Mathlib.Topology.MetricSpace.Lipschitz
+import Mathlib.Analysis.Calculus.Deriv.MeanValue
+import Mathlib.Analysis.Calculus.Deriv.Pow
+import Mathlib.Analysis.Calculus.MeanValue
+import Mathlib.Analysis.Normed.MulAction
+import Mathlib.Analysis.SpecialFunctions.Pow.Deriv
+import Mathlib.Data.Rat.Cast.Order
+import Mathlib.Tactic.FieldSimp
+import Mathlib.Tactic.Linarith
+import Mathlib.Tactic.Positivity
+import Mathlib.Tactic.Ring
+
+/-!
+# A rational correction ramp with Lipschitz fourth root
+
+For `a > 0`, put `u = max 0 ((t - θ) / a)` and `Q t = a * u^4 / (1 + u)^3`.
+This gives a monotone, one-Lipschitz correction ramp with
+`t - (θ + 3a) ≤ Q t ≤ max (t - θ) 0`. Its fourth root is globally Lipschitz.
+The definitions specialize to exact rational arithmetic; this is not a machine-space bound.
+
+This is an alternative rational witness for the ramp conditions in
+[OpenAI2026LogSpace, Section 4.1, (4.2)], adapted to the fourth-moment workstream of complexitylib
+issue #1721. The pinned preprint requires eighth-root regularity and gives a piecewise-polynomial
+example; this module proves fourth-root regularity for the displayed rational construction.
+
+## Main definitions
+
+* `Cslib.rationalRamp4Unit`: the normalized ramp, zero on nonpositive inputs.
+* `Cslib.rationalRamp4`: translation and rescaling of the normalized ramp.
+
+## Main results
+
+* `Cslib.rationalRamp4_nonneg`, `Cslib.rationalRamp4_le`, `Cslib.le_rationalRamp4`: ramp bounds.
+* `Cslib.monotone_rationalRamp4`, `Cslib.lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4`: monotonicity and Lipschitz
+  constant one.
+* `Cslib.lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4_root`: global fourth-root regularity.
+* `Cslib.rationalRamp4_ratCast`: compatibility with exact rational evaluation.
+
+## References
+
+* [OpenAI, *Exact Derandomization of Logarithmic Space: L = RL = BPL*][OpenAI2026LogSpace],
+  Section 4.1 (23 September 2026, revision `7ef5c0cc`, not peer reviewed).
+-/
+
+public section
+
+namespace Cslib
+
+open scoped NNReal
+
+/-- The normalized rational ramp, with fourth-order vanishing at zero. -/
+@[expose] def rationalRamp4Unit {R : Type*} [Field R] [LinearOrder R] (t : R) : R :=
+  (max 0 t) ^ 4 / (1 + max 0 t) ^ 3
+
+/-- A rational correction ramp with lower support threshold `θ` and width parameter `a`.
+The analytic ramp laws assume `0 < a`. -/
+@[expose] def rationalRamp4 {R : Type*} [Field R] [LinearOrder R] (θ a t : R) : R :=
+  a * rationalRamp4Unit ((t - θ) / a)
+
+private theorem core_hasDerivAt {t : ℝ} (ht : 0 ≤ t) :
+    HasDerivAt (fun t : ℝ => t ^ 4 / (1 + t) ^ 3)
+      (t ^ 3 * (t + 4) / (1 + t) ^ 4) t := by
+  have hp : 0 < 1 + t := by positivity
+  convert (hasDerivAt_pow 4 t).div (((hasDerivAt_id t).const_add 1).pow 3)
+    (pow_ne_zero _ hp.ne') using 1
+  · rfl
+  · simp only [Pi.pow_apply, id_eq]
+    field_simp
+    ring
+
+private theorem core_deriv_nonneg {t : ℝ} (ht : 0 ≤ t) :
+    0 ≤ t ^ 3 * (t + 4) / (1 + t) ^ 4 := by positivity
+
+private theorem core_deriv_le_one {t : ℝ} (ht : 0 ≤ t) :
+    t ^ 3 * (t + 4) / (1 + t) ^ 4 ≤ 1 := by
+  apply (div_le_one (by positivity : 0 < (1 + t) ^ 4)).2
+  nlinarith [sq_nonneg t]
+
+private theorem core_monotoneOn :
+    MonotoneOn (fun t : ℝ => t ^ 4 / (1 + t) ^ 3) (Set.Ici 0) := by
+  refine monotoneOn_of_hasDerivWithinAt_nonneg (convex_Ici 0)
+    (fun t ht => (core_hasDerivAt ht).continuousAt.continuousWithinAt)
+    (fun t ht => (core_hasDerivAt (interior_subset ht)).hasDerivWithinAt) ?_
+  exact fun t ht => core_deriv_nonneg (interior_subset ht)
+
+private theorem core_lipschitzOnWith :
+    LipschitzOnWith 1 (fun t : ℝ => t ^ 4 / (1 + t) ^ 3) (Set.Ici 0) := by
+  refine (convex_Ici 0).lipschitzOnWith_of_nnnorm_hasDerivWithin_le
+    (fun t ht => (core_hasDerivAt ht).hasDerivWithinAt) ?_
+  intro t ht
+  change |t ^ 3 * (t + 4) / (1 + t) ^ 4| ≤ (1 : ℝ)
+  rw [abs_of_nonneg (core_deriv_nonneg ht)]
+  exact core_deriv_le_one ht
+
+theorem rationalRamp4Unit_nonneg (t : ℝ) : 0 ≤ rationalRamp4Unit t := by
+  unfold rationalRamp4Unit
+  positivity
+
+theorem rationalRamp4Unit_le (t : ℝ) : rationalRamp4Unit t ≤ max 0 t := by
+  have hu : 0 ≤ max 0 t := le_max_left _ _
+  have hpow : 0 ≤ (max 0 t) ^ 3 := by positivity
+  apply (div_le_iff₀ (by positivity : 0 < (1 + max 0 t) ^ 3)).2
+  nlinarith [sq_nonneg (max 0 t)]
+
+theorem sub_three_le_rationalRamp4Unit (t : ℝ) : t - 3 ≤ rationalRamp4Unit t := by
+  have hu : 0 ≤ max 0 t := le_max_left _ _
+  apply (le_div_iff₀ (by positivity : 0 < (1 + max 0 t) ^ 3)).2
+  have h := mul_le_mul_of_nonneg_right (sub_le_sub_right (le_max_right 0 t) 3)
+    (show 0 ≤ (1 + max 0 t) ^ 3 by positivity)
+  nlinarith [sq_nonneg (max 0 t)]
+
+theorem rationalRamp4Unit_of_nonpos {t : ℝ} (ht : t ≤ 0) : rationalRamp4Unit t = 0 := by
+  simp [rationalRamp4Unit, max_eq_left ht]
+
+theorem monotone_rationalRamp4Unit : Monotone (rationalRamp4Unit : ℝ → ℝ) :=
+  fun _ _ h => core_monotoneOn (le_max_left _ _) (le_max_left _ _) (max_le_max le_rfl h)
+
+theorem lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4Unit : LipschitzWith 1 (rationalRamp4Unit : ℝ → ℝ) := by
+  refine LipschitzWith.of_dist_le_mul fun x y => ?_
+  have h := core_lipschitzOnWith.dist_le_mul (max 0 x) (le_max_left _ _)
+    (max 0 y) (le_max_left _ _)
+  simp only [NNReal.coe_one, one_mul] at h
+  have hc := (LipschitzWith.id.const_max (0 : ℝ)).dist_le_mul x y
+  exact h.trans hc
+
+/-! ## Fourth roots -/
+
+private theorem core_root_eq {t : ℝ} (ht : 0 ≤ t) :
+    (t ^ 4 / (1 + t) ^ 3) ^ (4⁻¹ : ℝ) = t * (1 + t) ^ (-(3 / 4 : ℝ)) := by
+  have hfour : (t ^ 4) ^ (4⁻¹ : ℝ) = t := by
+    convert Real.pow_rpow_inv_natCast ht (by norm_num : (4 : ℕ) ≠ 0) using 1
+  rw [Real.div_rpow (by positivity) (by positivity), hfour,
+    ← Real.rpow_natCast_mul (by positivity), Real.rpow_neg (by positivity), div_eq_mul_inv]
+  norm_num
+
+private theorem root_hasDerivAt {t : ℝ} (ht : 0 ≤ t) :
+    HasDerivAt (fun t : ℝ => t * (1 + t) ^ (-(3 / 4 : ℝ)))
+      ((1 + t) ^ (-(7 / 4 : ℝ)) * (1 + t / 4)) t := by
+  have hp : 0 < 1 + t := by positivity
+  have he : (1 + t) ^ (-(3 / 4 : ℝ)) = (1 + t) ^ (-(7 / 4 : ℝ)) * (1 + t) := by
+    rw [← Real.rpow_add_one hp.ne']
+    norm_num
+  convert (hasDerivAt_id t).mul (((hasDerivAt_id t).const_add 1).rpow_const
+    (p := -(3 / 4 : ℝ)) (Or.inl hp.ne'))
+    using 1
+  · rfl
+  · simp only [id_eq, one_mul]
+    rw [he]
+    norm_num
+    ring
+
+private theorem root_deriv_nonneg {t : ℝ} (ht : 0 ≤ t) :
+    0 ≤ (1 + t) ^ (-(7 / 4 : ℝ)) * (1 + t / 4) := by positivity
+
+private theorem root_deriv_le_one {t : ℝ} (ht : 0 ≤ t) :
+    (1 + t) ^ (-(7 / 4 : ℝ)) * (1 + t / 4) ≤ 1 := by
+  have hp : 0 < 1 + t := by positivity
+  calc (1 + t) ^ (-(7 / 4 : ℝ)) * (1 + t / 4) ≤
+      (1 + t) ^ (-(7 / 4 : ℝ)) * (1 + t) :=
+        mul_le_mul_of_nonneg_left (by linarith) (Real.rpow_nonneg hp.le _)
+    _ = (1 + t) ^ (-(3 / 4 : ℝ)) := by rw [← Real.rpow_add_one hp.ne']; norm_num
+    _ ≤ 1 := Real.rpow_le_one_of_one_le_of_nonpos (by linarith) (by norm_num)
+
+private theorem root_lipschitzOnWith :
+    LipschitzOnWith 1 (fun t : ℝ => t * (1 + t) ^ (-(3 / 4 : ℝ))) (Set.Ici 0) := by
+  refine (convex_Ici 0).lipschitzOnWith_of_nnnorm_hasDerivWithin_le
+    (fun t ht => (root_hasDerivAt ht).hasDerivWithinAt) ?_
+  intro t ht
+  change |(1 + t) ^ (-(7 / 4 : ℝ)) * (1 + t / 4)| ≤ (1 : ℝ)
+  rw [abs_of_nonneg (root_deriv_nonneg ht)]
+  exact root_deriv_le_one ht
+
+/-- The normalized ramp's fourth root has global Lipschitz constant one. -/
+theorem lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4Unit_root :
+    LipschitzWith 1 fun t : ℝ => rationalRamp4Unit t ^ (4⁻¹ : ℝ) := by
+  refine LipschitzWith.of_dist_le_mul fun x y => ?_
+  have h := root_lipschitzOnWith.dist_le_mul (max 0 x) (le_max_left _ _)
+    (max 0 y) (le_max_left _ _)
+  rw [← core_root_eq (le_max_left _ _), ← core_root_eq (le_max_left _ _)] at h
+  simp only [NNReal.coe_one, one_mul] at h
+  exact h.trans ((LipschitzWith.id.const_max (0 : ℝ)).dist_le_mul x y)
+
+/-! ## Translation and rescaling -/
+
+variable {θ a t : ℝ}
+
+theorem rationalRamp4_nonneg (ha : 0 ≤ a) (θ t : ℝ) : 0 ≤ rationalRamp4 θ a t :=
+  mul_nonneg ha (rationalRamp4Unit_nonneg _)
+
+theorem rationalRamp4_le (ha : 0 < a) (θ t : ℝ) :
+    rationalRamp4 θ a t ≤ max (t - θ) 0 := by
+  calc rationalRamp4 θ a t ≤ a * max 0 ((t - θ) / a) :=
+      mul_le_mul_of_nonneg_left (rationalRamp4Unit_le _) ha.le
+    _ = max (t - θ) 0 := by
+      rw [mul_max_of_nonneg _ _ ha.le, mul_zero]
+      simp [mul_div_cancel₀, ha.ne', max_comm]
+
+theorem le_rationalRamp4 (ha : 0 < a) (θ t : ℝ) :
+    t - (θ + 3 * a) ≤ rationalRamp4 θ a t := by
+  calc t - (θ + 3 * a) = a * ((t - θ) / a - 3) := by field_simp; ring
+    _ ≤ rationalRamp4 θ a t :=
+      mul_le_mul_of_nonneg_left (sub_three_le_rationalRamp4Unit _) ha.le
+
+theorem rationalRamp4_of_le (ha : 0 < a) (ht : t ≤ θ) : rationalRamp4 θ a t = 0 := by
+  rw [rationalRamp4, rationalRamp4Unit_of_nonpos (div_nonpos_of_nonpos_of_nonneg
+    (sub_nonpos.mpr ht) ha.le), mul_zero]
+
+theorem monotone_rationalRamp4 (ha : 0 < a) (θ : ℝ) : Monotone (rationalRamp4 θ a) :=
+  fun _ _ h => mul_le_mul_of_nonneg_left (monotone_rationalRamp4Unit
+    (div_le_div_of_nonneg_right (sub_le_sub_right h θ) ha.le)) ha.le
+
+/-- The scale factor cancels the input rescaling, preserving Lipschitz constant one. -/
+theorem lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4 (ha : 0 < a) (θ : ℝ) :
+    LipschitzWith 1 (rationalRamp4 θ a) := by
+  change LipschitzWith 1 (fun t : ℝ => a * rationalRamp4Unit ((t - θ) / a))
+  have h := (lipschitzWith_smul a).comp (lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4Unit.comp
+    ((lipschitzWith_smul a⁻¹).comp (isometry_add_right (-θ)).lipschitzWith))
+  simpa only [mul_one, one_mul, ← nnnorm_mul, mul_inv_cancel₀ ha.ne', nnnorm_one,
+    Function.comp_def, smul_eq_mul, sub_eq_add_neg, div_eq_mul_inv, mul_comm]
+    using h
+
+/-- The rescaled ramp's fourth root is globally Lipschitz, including arbitrarily large inputs. -/
+theorem lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4_root (ha : 0 < a) (θ : ℝ) :
+    LipschitzWith (‖a ^ (4⁻¹ : ℝ)‖₊ * ‖a⁻¹‖₊)
+      fun t : ℝ => rationalRamp4 θ a t ^ (4⁻¹ : ℝ) := by
+  have h := (lipschitzWith_smul (a ^ (4⁻¹ : ℝ))).comp (lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4Unit_root.comp
+    ((lipschitzWith_smul a⁻¹).comp (isometry_add_right (-θ)).lipschitzWith))
+  simpa only [mul_one, one_mul, rationalRamp4, Real.mul_rpow ha.le (rationalRamp4Unit_nonneg _),
+    Function.comp_def, smul_eq_mul, sub_eq_add_neg, div_eq_mul_inv, mul_comm] using h
+
+@[simp, norm_cast]
+theorem rationalRamp4Unit_ratCast (t : ℚ) :
+    rationalRamp4Unit (t : ℝ) = (rationalRamp4Unit t : ℚ) := by
+  simp [rationalRamp4Unit, Rat.cast_max]
+
+@[simp, norm_cast]
+theorem rationalRamp4_ratCast (θ a t : ℚ) :
+    rationalRamp4 (θ : ℝ) a t = (rationalRamp4 θ a t : ℚ) := by
+  simp only [rationalRamp4, Rat.cast_mul, ← rationalRamp4Unit_ratCast, Rat.cast_div, Rat.cast_sub]
+
+end Cslib
diff --git a/ComplexityTests/RationalRamp.lean b/ComplexityTests/RationalRamp.lean
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f3cc6d5a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ComplexityTests/RationalRamp.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+/-
+Copyright (c) 2026 Samuel Schlesinger. All rights reserved.
+Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
+Authors: Samuel Schlesinger
+-/
+import Complexity.Foundations.Analysis.SpecialFunctions.RationalRamp
+import Mathlib.Tactic.NormNum
+
+/-!
+# Tests for the rational correction ramp
+
+Exact rational evaluations exercise the transition and large inputs. The real examples use the
+proved defect, one-Lipschitz bound and the nontrivial fourth-root rescaling constant.
+-/
+
+namespace ComplexityTests.RationalRamp
+
+open Cslib
+
+example : rationalRamp4Unit (1 : ℚ) = 1 / 8 := by
+  norm_num [rationalRamp4Unit]
+
+example : rationalRamp4Unit (10 : ℚ) = 10000 / 1331 := by
+  norm_num [rationalRamp4Unit]
+
+example : rationalRamp4 (1 : ℚ) 2 9 = 512 / 125 := by
+  norm_num [rationalRamp4, rationalRamp4Unit]
+
+example : rationalRamp4 (1 : ℚ) 2 (-5) = 0 ∧ rationalRamp4 (1 : ℚ) 2 1 = 0 := by
+  norm_num [rationalRamp4, rationalRamp4Unit]
+
+example : rationalRamp4 (1 : ℝ) 2 9 = 512 / 125 := by
+  have h : rationalRamp4 (1 : ℚ) 2 9 = 512 / 125 := by
+    norm_num [rationalRamp4, rationalRamp4Unit]
+  have hc := rationalRamp4_ratCast (1 : ℚ) 2 9
+  rw [h] at hc
+  norm_num at hc ⊢
+  exact hc
+
+-- The upper and lower bounds are uniform on the whole real line.
+example (t : ℝ) : t - 7 ≤ rationalRamp4 1 2 t ∧ rationalRamp4 1 2 t ≤ max (t - 1) 0 := by
+  constructor
+  · have h := le_rationalRamp4 (by norm_num : (0 : ℝ) < 2) 1 t
+    norm_num at h
+    exact (sub_le_iff_le_add).mpr h
+  · exact rationalRamp4_le (by norm_num) 1 t
+
+example (x y : ℝ) : |rationalRamp4 1 2 x - rationalRamp4 1 2 y| ≤ |x - y| := by
+  simpa only [Real.dist_eq, NNReal.coe_one, one_mul] using
+    (lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4 (by norm_num : (0 : ℝ) < 2) 1).dist_le_mul x y
+
+-- A width of `1/16` gives the explicit fourth-root Lipschitz constant `8`.
+example (θ x y : ℝ) :
+    |rationalRamp4 θ (1 / 16) x ^ (4⁻¹ : ℝ) -
+      rationalRamp4 θ (1 / 16) y ^ (4⁻¹ : ℝ)| ≤ 8 * |x - y| := by
+  have h := (lipschitzWith_rationalRamp4_root (by norm_num : (0 : ℝ) < 1 / 16) θ).dist_le_mul x y
+  have hr : (1 / 16 : ℝ) ^ (4⁻¹ : ℝ) = 1 / 2 := by
+    rw [show (1 / 16 : ℝ) = (1 / 2) ^ 4 by norm_num]
+    convert Real.pow_rpow_inv_natCast (by norm_num : (0 : ℝ) ≤ 1 / 2)
+      (by norm_num : (4 : ℕ) ≠ 0) using 1
+  rw [hr] at h
+  norm_num [Real.dist_eq] at h ⊢
+  exact h
+
+end ComplexityTests.RationalRamp