Vertex and edge covers with clustering properties: complexity and algorithms

We consider the concepts of a t-total vertex cover and a t-total edge cover (t≥1), which generalise the notions of a vertex cover and an edge cover, respectively. A t-total vertex (respectively edge) cover of a connected graph G is a vertex (edge) cover S of G such that each connected component of the subgraph of G induced by S has at least t vertices (edges). These definitions are motivated by combining the concepts of clustering and covering in graphs. Moreover they yield a spectrum of parameters that essentially range from a vertex cover to a connected vertex cover (in the vertex case) and from an edge cover to a spanning tree (in the edge case). For various values of t, we present NP-completeness and approximability results (both upper and lower bounds) and FTP algorithms for problems concerned with finding the minimum size of a t-total vertex cover, t-total edge cover and connected vertex cover, in particular improving on a previous FTP algorithm for the latter problem

Benchmarks for Parity Games (extended version)

We propose a benchmark suite for parity games that includes all benchmarks that have been used in the literature, and make it available online. We give an overview of the parity games, including a description of how they have been generated. We also describe structural properties of parity games, and using these properties we show that our benchmarks are representative. With this work we provide a starting point for further experimentation with parity games.Comment: The corresponding tool and benchmarks are available from https://github.com/jkeiren/paritygame-generator. This is an extended version of the paper that has been accepted for FSEN 201

Data Reductions and Combinatorial Bounds for Improved Approximation Algorithms

Kernelization algorithms in the context of Parameterized Complexity are often based on a combination of reduction rules and combinatorial insights. We will expose in this paper a similar strategy for obtaining polynomial-time approximation algorithms. Our method features the use of approximation-preserving reductions, akin to the notion of parameterized reductions. We exemplify this method to obtain the currently best approximation algorithms for \textsc{Harmless Set}, \textsc{Differential} and \textsc{Multiple Nonblocker}, all of them can be considered in the context of securing networks or information propagation

Parameterized Approximation Scheme for Feedback Vertex Set

Feedback Vertex Set (FVS) is one of the most studied vertex deletion problems in the field of graph algorithms. In the decision version of the problem, given a graph G and an integer k, the question is whether there exists a set S of at most k vertices in G such that G-S is acyclic. It is one of the first few problems which were shown to be NP-complete, and has been extensively studied from the viewpoint of approximation and parameterized algorithms. The best-known polynomial time approximation algorithm for FVS is a 2-factor approximation, while the best known deterministic and randomized FPT algorithms run in time ?^*(3.460^k) and ?^*(2.7^k) respectively. In this paper, we contribute to the newly established area of parameterized approximation, by studying FVS in this paradigm. In particular, we combine the approaches of parameterized and approximation algorithms for the study of FVS, and achieve an approximation guarantee with a factor better than 2 in randomized FPT running time, that improves over the best known parameterized algorithm for FVS. We give three simple randomized (1+?) approximation algorithms for FVS, running in times ?^*(2^{?k}? 2.7^{(1-?)k}), ?^*(({(4/(1+?))^{(1+?)}}?{(?/3)^?})^k), and ?^*(4^{(1-?)k}) respectively for every ? ? (0,1). Combining these three algorithms, we obtain a factor (1+?) approximation algorithm for FVS, which has better running time than the best-known (randomized) FPT algorithm for every ? ? (0, 1). This is the first attempt to look at a parameterized approximation of FVS to the best of our knowledge. Our algorithms are very simple, and they rely on some well-known reduction rules used for arriving at FPT algorithms for FVS

Faster Exponential-Time Approximation Algorithms Using Approximate Monotone Local Search

We generalize the monotone local search approach of Fomin, Gaspers, Lokshtanov and Saurabh [J.ACM 2019], by establishing a connection between parameterized approximation and exponential-time approximation algorithms for monotone subset minimization problems. In a monotone subset minimization problem the input implicitly describes a non-empty set family over a universe of size n which is closed under taking supersets. The task is to find a minimum cardinality set in this family. Broadly speaking, we use approximate monotone local search to show that a parameterized ?-approximation algorithm that runs in c^k?n^?(1) time, where k is the solution size, can be used to derive an ?-approximation randomized algorithm that runs in d??n^?(1) time, where d is the unique value in (1, 1+{c-1}/?) such that ?(1/??{d-1}/{c-1}) = {ln c}/? and ?(a?b) is the Kullback-Leibler divergence. This running time matches that of Fomin et al. for ? = 1, and is strictly better when ? > 1, for any c > 1. Furthermore, we also show that this result can be derandomized at the expense of a sub-exponential multiplicative factor in the running time. We use an approximate variant of the exhaustive search as a benchmark for our algorithm. We show that the classic 2??n^?(1) exhaustive search can be adapted to an ?-approximate exhaustive search that runs in time (1+exp(-???(1/(?))))??n^?(1), where ? is the entropy function. Furthermore, we provide a lower bound stating that the running time of this ?-approximate exhaustive search is the best achievable running time in an oracle model. When compared to approximate exhaustive search, and to other techniques, the running times obtained by approximate monotone local search are strictly better for any ? ? 1, c > 1. We demonstrate the potential of approximate monotone local search by deriving new and faster exponential approximation algorithms for Vertex Cover, 3-Hitting Set, Directed Feedback Vertex Set, Directed Subset Feedback Vertex Set, Directed Odd Cycle Transversal and Undirected Multicut. For instance, we get a 1.1-approximation algorithm for Vertex Cover with running time 1.114??n^?(1), improving upon the previously best known 1.1-approximation running in time 1.127??n^?(1) by Bourgeois et al. [DAM 2011]

Parameterized Complexity Dichotomy for Steiner Multicut

The Steiner Multicut problem asks, given an undirected graph G, terminals sets T1,...,Tt $\subseteq$ V(G) of size at most p, and an integer k, whether there is a set S of at most k edges or nodes s.t. of each set Ti at least one pair of terminals is in different connected components of G \ S. This problem generalizes several graph cut problems, in particular the Multicut problem (the case p = 2), which is fixed-parameter tractable for the parameter k [Marx and Razgon, Bousquet et al., STOC 2011]. We provide a dichotomy of the parameterized complexity of Steiner Multicut. That is, for any combination of k, t, p, and the treewidth tw(G) as constant, parameter, or unbounded, and for all versions of the problem (edge deletion and node deletion with and without deletable terminals), we prove either that the problem is fixed-parameter tractable or that the problem is hard (W[1]-hard or even (para-)NP-complete). We highlight that: - The edge deletion version of Steiner Multicut is fixed-parameter tractable for the parameter k+t on general graphs (but has no polynomial kernel, even on trees). We present two proofs: one using the randomized contractions technique of Chitnis et al, and one relying on new structural lemmas that decompose the Steiner cut into important separators and minimal s-t cuts. - In contrast, both node deletion versions of Steiner Multicut are W[1]-hard for the parameter k+t on general graphs. - All versions of Steiner Multicut are W[1]-hard for the parameter k, even when p=3 and the graph is a tree plus one node. Hence, the results of Marx and Razgon, and Bousquet et al. do not generalize to Steiner Multicut. Since we allow k, t, p, and tw(G) to be any constants, our characterization includes a dichotomy for Steiner Multicut on trees (for tw(G) = 1), and a polynomial time versus NP-hardness dichotomy (by restricting k,t,p,tw(G) to constant or unbounded).Comment: As submitted to journal. This version also adds a proof of fixed-parameter tractability for parameter k+t using the technique of randomized contraction