5,528 research outputs found
Path Coupling Using Stopping Times and Counting Independent Sets and Colourings in Hypergraphs
We give a new method for analysing the mixing time of a Markov chain using
path coupling with stopping times. We apply this approach to two hypergraph
problems. We show that the Glauber dynamics for independent sets in a
hypergraph mixes rapidly as long as the maximum degree Delta of a vertex and
the minimum size m of an edge satisfy m>= 2Delta+1. We also show that the
Glauber dynamics for proper q-colourings of a hypergraph mixes rapidly if m>= 4
and q > Delta, and if m=3 and q>=1.65Delta. We give related results on the
hardness of exact and approximate counting for both problems.Comment: Simpler proof of main theorem. Improved bound on mixing time. 19
page
Metric Construction, Stopping Times and Path Coupling
In this paper we examine the importance of the choice of metric in path
coupling, and the relationship of this to \emph{stopping time analysis}. We
give strong evidence that stopping time analysis is no more powerful than
standard path coupling. In particular, we prove a stronger theorem for path
coupling with stopping times, using a metric which allows us to restrict
analysis to standard one-step path coupling. This approach provides insight for
the design of non-standard metrics giving improvements in the analysis of
specific problems.
We give illustrative applications to hypergraph independent sets and SAT
instances, hypergraph colourings and colourings of bipartite graphs.Comment: 21 pages, revised version includes statement and proof of general
stopping times theorem (section 2.2), and additonal remarks in section
A 7/9 - Approximation Algorithm for the Maximum Traveling Salesman Problem
We give a 7/9 - Approximation Algorithm for the Maximum Traveling Salesman
Problem.Comment: 6 figure
Sampling Colourings of the Triangular Lattice
We show that the Glauber dynamics on proper 9-colourings of the triangular
lattice is rapidly mixing, which allows for efficient sampling. Consequently,
there is a fully polynomial randomised approximation scheme (FPRAS) for
counting proper 9-colourings of the triangular lattice. Proper colourings
correspond to configurations in the zero-temperature anti-ferromagnetic Potts
model. We show that the spin system consisting of proper 9-colourings of the
triangular lattice has strong spatial mixing. This implies that there is a
unique infinite-volume Gibbs distribution, which is an important property
studied in statistical physics. Our results build on previous work by Goldberg,
Martin and Paterson, who showed similar results for 10 colours on the
triangular lattice. Their work was preceded by Salas and Sokal's 11-colour
result. Both proofs rely on computational assistance, and so does our 9-colour
proof. We have used a randomised heuristic to guide us towards rigourous
results.Comment: 42 pages. Added appendix that describes implementation. Added
ancillary file
Deterministic counting of graph colourings using sequences of subgraphs
In this paper we propose a deterministic algorithm for approximately counting
the -colourings of sparse random graphs . In particular, our
algorithm computes in polynomial time a approximation of
the logarithm of the number of -colourings of for with high probability over the graph instances.
Our algorithm is related to the algorithms of A. Bandyopadhyay et al. in SODA
'06, and A. Montanari et al. in SODA '06, i.e. it uses {\em spatial correlation
decay} to compute {\em deterministically} marginals of {\em Gibbs
distribution}. We develop a scheme whose accuracy depends on {\em
non-reconstruction} of the colourings of , rather than {\em
uniqueness} that are required in previous works. This leaves open the
possibility for our schema to be sufficiently accurate even for .
The set up for establishing correlation decay is as follows: Given
, we alter the graph structure in some specific region of
the graph by deleting edges between vertices of . Then we show that
the effect of this change on the marginals of Gibbs distribution, diminishes as
we move away from . Our approach is novel and suggests a new context
for the study of deterministic counting algorithms
Colouring random graphs and maximising local diversity
We study a variation of the graph colouring problem on random graphs of
finite average connectivity. Given the number of colours, we aim to maximise
the number of different colours at neighbouring vertices (i.e. one edge
distance) of any vertex. Two efficient algorithms, belief propagation and
Walksat are adapted to carry out this task. We present experimental results
based on two types of random graphs for different system sizes and identify the
critical value of the connectivity for the algorithms to find a perfect
solution. The problem and the suggested algorithms have practical relevance
since various applications, such as distributed storage, can be mapped onto
this problem.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure
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