Feedback Vertex Set Inspired Kernel for Chordal Vertex Deletion

Given a graph $G$ and a parameter $k$, the Chordal Vertex Deletion (CVD) problem asks whether there exists a subset $U\subseteq V(G)$ of size at most $k$ that hits all induced cycles of size at least 4. The existence of a polynomial kernel for CVD was a well-known open problem in the field of Parameterized Complexity. Recently, Jansen and Pilipczuk resolved this question affirmatively by designing a polynomial kernel for CVD of size $O(k^{161}\log^{58}k)$, and asked whether one can design a kernel of size $O(k^{10})$. While we do not completely resolve this question, we design a significantly smaller kernel of size $O(k^{12}\log^{10}k)$, inspired by the $O(k^2)$-size kernel for Feedback Vertex Set. Furthermore, we introduce the notion of the independence degree of a vertex, which is our main conceptual contribution

Towards Constant-Factor Approximation for Chordal / Distance-Hereditary Vertex Deletion

For a family of graphs ?, Weighted ?-Deletion is the problem for which the input is a vertex weighted graph G = (V, E) and the goal is to delete S ? V with minimum weight such that G?S ? ?. Designing a constant-factor approximation algorithm for large subclasses of perfect graphs has been an interesting research direction. Block graphs, 3-leaf power graphs, and interval graphs are known to admit constant-factor approximation algorithms, but the question is open for chordal graphs and distance-hereditary graphs. In this paper, we add one more class to this list by presenting a constant-factor approximation algorithm when ? is the intersection of chordal graphs and distance-hereditary graphs. They are known as ptolemaic graphs and form a superset of both block graphs and 3-leaf power graphs above. Our proof presents new properties and algorithmic results on inter-clique digraphs as well as an approximation algorithm for a variant of Feedback Vertex Set that exploits this relationship (named Feedback Vertex Set with Precedence Constraints), each of which may be of independent interest

A Polynomial Kernel for Deletion to Ptolemaic Graphs

For a family of graphs F, given a graph G and an integer k, the F-Deletion problem asks whether we can delete at most k vertices from G to obtain a graph in the family F. The F-Deletion problems for all non-trivial families F that satisfy the hereditary property on induced subgraphs are known to be NP-hard by a result of Yannakakis (STOC\u2778). Ptolemaic graphs are the graphs that satisfy the Ptolemy inequality, and they are the intersection of chordal graphs and distance-hereditary graphs. Equivalently, they form the set of graphs that do not contain any chordless cycles or a gem as an induced subgraph. (A gem is the graph on 5 vertices, where four vertices form an induced path, and the fifth vertex is adjacent to all the vertices of this induced path.) The Ptolemaic Deletion problem is the F-Deletion problem, where F is the family of Ptolemaic graphs. In this paper we study Ptolemaic Deletion from the viewpoint of Kernelization Complexity, and obtain a kernel with ?(k?) vertices for the problem

Data Reduction for Graph Coloring Problems

This paper studies the kernelization complexity of graph coloring problems with respect to certain structural parameterizations of the input instances. We are interested in how well polynomial-time data reduction can provably shrink instances of coloring problems, in terms of the chosen parameter. It is well known that deciding 3-colorability is already NP-complete, hence parameterizing by the requested number of colors is not fruitful. Instead, we pick up on a research thread initiated by Cai (DAM, 2003) who studied coloring problems parameterized by the modification distance of the input graph to a graph class on which coloring is polynomial-time solvable; for example parameterizing by the number k of vertex-deletions needed to make the graph chordal. We obtain various upper and lower bounds for kernels of such parameterizations of q-Coloring, complementing Cai's study of the time complexity with respect to these parameters. Our results show that the existence of polynomial kernels for q-Coloring parameterized by the vertex-deletion distance to a graph class F is strongly related to the existence of a function f(q) which bounds the number of vertices which are needed to preserve the NO-answer to an instance of q-List-Coloring on F.Comment: Author-accepted manuscript of the article that will appear in the FCT 2011 special issue of Information & Computatio

A Polynomial Kernel for 3-Leaf Power Deletion

For a non-negative integer ?, a graph G is an ?-leaf power of a tree T if V(G) is equal to the set of leaves of T, and distinct vertices v and w of G are adjacent if and only if the distance between v and w in T is at most ?. Given a graph G, 3-Leaf Power Deletion asks whether there is a set S ? V(G) of size at most k such that GS is a 3-leaf power of some treeT. We provide a polynomial kernel for this problem. More specifically, we present a polynomial-time algorithm for an input instance (G,k) to output an equivalent instance (G\u27,k\u27) such that k\u27? k and G\u27 has at most O(k^14) vertices

Chordless Cycle Packing Is Fixed-Parameter Tractable

A chordless cycle or hole in a graph G is an induced cycle of length at least 4. In the Hole Packing problem, a graph G and an integer k is given, and the task is to find (if exists) a set of k pairwise vertex-disjoint chordless cycles. Our main result is showing that Hole Packing is fixed-parameter tractable (FPT), that is, can be solved in time f(k)n^O(1) for some function f depending only on k

A survey of parameterized algorithms and the complexity of edge modification

The survey is a comprehensive overview of the developing area of parameterized algorithms for graph modification problems. It describes state of the art in kernelization, subexponential algorithms, and parameterized complexity of graph modification. The main focus is on edge modification problems, where the task is to change some adjacencies in a graph to satisfy some required properties. To facilitate further research, we list many open problems in the area.publishedVersio