Fast Computation of Small Cuts via Cycle Space Sampling

We describe a new sampling-based method to determine cuts in an undirected graph. For a graph (V, E), its cycle space is the family of all subsets of E that have even degree at each vertex. We prove that with high probability, sampling the cycle space identifies the cuts of a graph. This leads to simple new linear-time sequential algorithms for finding all cut edges and cut pairs (a set of 2 edges that form a cut) of a graph. In the model of distributed computing in a graph G=(V, E) with O(log V)-bit messages, our approach yields faster algorithms for several problems. The diameter of G is denoted by Diam, and the maximum degree by Delta. We obtain simple O(Diam)-time distributed algorithms to find all cut edges, 2-edge-connected components, and cut pairs, matching or improving upon previous time bounds. Under natural conditions these new algorithms are universally optimal --- i.e. a Omega(Diam)-time lower bound holds on every graph. We obtain a O(Diam+Delta/log V)-time distributed algorithm for finding cut vertices; this is faster than the best previous algorithm when Delta, Diam = O(sqrt(V)). A simple extension of our work yields the first distributed algorithm with sub-linear time for 3-edge-connected components. The basic distributed algorithms are Monte Carlo, but they can be made Las Vegas without increasing the asymptotic complexity. In the model of parallel computing on the EREW PRAM our approach yields a simple algorithm with optimal time complexity O(log V) for finding cut pairs and 3-edge-connected components.Comment: Previous version appeared in Proc. 35th ICALP, pages 145--160, 200

Cycle decompositions: from graphs to continua

We generalise a fundamental graph-theoretical fact, stating that every element of the cycle space of a graph is a sum of edge-disjoint cycles, to arbitrary continua. To achieve this we replace graph cycles by topological circles, and replace the cycle space of a graph by a new homology group for continua which is a quotient of the first singular homology group $H_1$. This homology seems to be particularly apt for studying spaces with infinitely generated $H_1$, e.g. infinite graphs or fractals.Comment: Advances in Mathematics (2011

Effects of liquid and vapor cesium on structural materials

Literature survey on corrosive effects of liquid and vapor cesium on structural materials, and compatibility of cesium as working fluid for Rankine cycle space power plan

Alternator and voltage regulator-exciter for a Brayton cycle space power system. Volume 1 - Design and development

Alternator and voltage regulator for Brayton cycle space power syste

On the homology of locally finite graphs

We show that the topological cycle space of a locally finite graph is a canonical quotient of the first singular homology group of its Freudenthal compactification, and we characterize the graphs for which the two coincide. We construct a new singular-type homology for non-compact spaces with ends, which in dimension~1 captures precisely the topological cycle space of graphs but works in any dimension.Comment: 30 pages. This is an extended version of the paper "The homology of a locally finite graph with ends" (to appear in Combinatorica) by the same authors. It differs from that paper only in that it offers proofs for Lemmas 3, 4 and 10, as well as a new footnote in Section