  A topological quantum number, the Witten index, characterizes supersymmetric
models by probing for zero energy modes and the possibility of supersymmetry
breaking. We propose an averaging method to infer the Witten index in quantum
analogue simulators. Motivated by recent work on Rydberg atoms trapped in
optical tweezer arrays, we consider a related supersymmetric XXZ spin model. We
show how to infer the Witten index from open system averaging and numerically
demonstrate its topological robustness in this model. Our work defines a route
for quantum analogue simulators to directly identify many-body topological
physics.
