Independent sets in bounded-degree hypergraphs

AbstractIn this paper we analyze several approaches to the Maximum Independent Set (MIS) problem in hypergraphs with degree bounded by a parameter Δ. Since independent sets in hypergraphs can be strong and weak, we denote by MIS (MSIS) the problem of finding a maximum weak (strong) independent set in hypergraphs, respectively. We propose a general technique that reduces the worst case analysis of certain algorithms on hypergraphs to their analysis on ordinary graphs. This technique allows us to show that the greedy algorithm for MIS that corresponds to the classical greedy set cover algorithm has a performance ratio of (Δ+1)/2. It also allows us to apply results on local search algorithms on graphs to obtain a (Δ+1)/2 approximation for the weighted MIS and (Δ+3)/5−ϵ approximation for the unweighted case. We improve the bound in the weighted case to ⌈(Δ+1)/3⌉ using a simple partitioning algorithm. We also consider another natural greedy algorithm for MIS that adds vertices of minimum degree and achieves only a ratio of Δ−1, significantly worse than on ordinary graphs. For MSIS, we give two variations of the basic greedy algorithm and describe a family of hypergraphs where both algorithms approach the bound of Δ

The complexity of approximating bounded-degree Boolean #CSP

AbstractThe degree of a CSP instance is the maximum number of times that any variable appears in the scopes of constraints. We consider the approximate counting problem for Boolean CSP with bounded-degree instances, for constraint languages containing the two unary constant relations {0} and {1}. When the maximum allowed degree is large enough (at least 6) we obtain a complete classification of the complexity of this problem. It is exactly solvable in polynomial time if every relation in the constraint language is affine. It is equivalent to the problem of approximately counting independent sets in bipartite graphs if every relation can be expressed as conjunctions of {0}, {1} and binary implication. Otherwise, there is no FPRAS unless NP=RP. For lower degree bounds, additional cases arise, where the complexity is related to the complexity of approximately counting independent sets in hypergraphs

Counting hypergraph matchings up to uniqueness threshold

We study the problem of approximately counting matchings in hypergraphs of bounded maximum degree and maximum size of hyperedges. With an activity parameter $\lambda$, each matching $M$ is assigned a weight $\lambda^{|M|}$. The counting problem is formulated as computing a partition function that gives the sum of the weights of all matchings in a hypergraph. This problem unifies two extensively studied statistical physics models in approximate counting: the hardcore model (graph independent sets) and the monomer-dimer model (graph matchings). For this model, the critical activity $\lambda_c= \frac{d^d}{k (d-1)^{d+1}}$ is the threshold for the uniqueness of Gibbs measures on the infinite $(d+1)$-uniform $(k+1)$-regular hypertree. Consider hypergraphs of maximum degree at most $k+1$ and maximum size of hyperedges at most $d+1$. We show that when $\lambda < \lambda_c$, there is an FPTAS for computing the partition function; and when $\lambda = \lambda_c$, there is a PTAS for computing the log-partition function. These algorithms are based on the decay of correlation (strong spatial mixing) property of Gibbs distributions. When $\lambda > 2\lambda_c$, there is no PRAS for the partition function or the log-partition function unless NP$=$RP. Towards obtaining a sharp transition of computational complexity of approximate counting, we study the local convergence from a sequence of finite hypergraphs to the infinite lattice with specified symmetry. We show a surprising connection between the local convergence and the reversibility of a natural random walk. This leads us to a barrier for the hardness result: The non-uniqueness of infinite Gibbs measure is not realizable by any finite gadgets

Positive independence densities of finite rank countable hypergraphs are achieved by finite hypergraphs

The independence density of a finite hypergraph is the probability that a subset of vertices, chosen uniformly at random contains no hyperedges. Independence densities can be generalized to countable hypergraphs using limits. We show that, in fact, every positive independence density of a countably infinite hypergraph with hyperedges of bounded size is equal to the independence density of some finite hypergraph whose hyperedges are no larger than those in the infinite hypergraph. This answers a question of Bonato, Brown, Kemkes, and Pra{\l}at about independence densities of graphs. Furthermore, we show that for any $k$, the set of independence densities of hypergraphs with hyperedges of size at most $k$ is closed and contains no infinite increasing sequences.Comment: To appear in the European Journal of Combinatorics, 12 page

Independence densities of hypergraphs

We consider the number of independent sets in hypergraphs, which allows us to define the independence density of countable hypergraphs. Hypergraph independence densities include a broad family of densities over graphs and relational structures, such as $F$-free densities of graphs for a given graph $F.$ In the case of $k$-uniform hypergraphs, we prove that the independence density is always rational. In the case of finite but unbounded hyperedges, we show that the independence density can be any real number in $[0,1].$ Finally, we extend the notion of independence density via independence polynomials

Incremental complexity of a bi-objective hypergraph transversal problem

The hypergraph transversal problem has been intensively studied, from both a theoretical and a practical point of view. In particular , its incremental complexity is known to be quasi-polynomial in general and polynomial for bounded hypergraphs. Recent applications in computational biology however require to solve a generalization of this problem, that we call bi-objective transversal problem. The instance is in this case composed of a pair of hypergraphs (A, B), and the aim is to find minimal sets which hit all the hyperedges of A while intersecting a minimal set of hyperedges of B. In this paper, we formalize this problem, link it to a problem on monotone boolean $\land$ -- $\lor$ formulae of depth 3 and study its incremental complexity

On the Chromatic Thresholds of Hypergraphs

Let F be a family of r-uniform hypergraphs. The chromatic threshold of F is the infimum of all non-negative reals c such that the subfamily of F comprising hypergraphs H with minimum degree at least $c \binom{|V(H)|}{r-1}$ has bounded chromatic number. This parameter has a long history for graphs (r=2), and in this paper we begin its systematic study for hypergraphs. {\L}uczak and Thomass\'e recently proved that the chromatic threshold of the so-called near bipartite graphs is zero, and our main contribution is to generalize this result to r-uniform hypergraphs. For this class of hypergraphs, we also show that the exact Tur\'an number is achieved uniquely by the complete (r+1)-partite hypergraph with nearly equal part sizes. This is one of very few infinite families of nondegenerate hypergraphs whose Tur\'an number is determined exactly. In an attempt to generalize Thomassen's result that the chromatic threshold of triangle-free graphs is 1/3, we prove bounds for the chromatic threshold of the family of 3-uniform hypergraphs not containing {abc, abd, cde}, the so-called generalized triangle. In order to prove upper bounds we introduce the concept of fiber bundles, which can be thought of as a hypergraph analogue of directed graphs. This leads to the notion of fiber bundle dimension, a structural property of fiber bundles that is based on the idea of Vapnik-Chervonenkis dimension in hypergraphs. Our lower bounds follow from explicit constructions, many of which use a hypergraph analogue of the Kneser graph. Using methods from extremal set theory, we prove that these Kneser hypergraphs have unbounded chromatic number. This generalizes a result of Szemer\'edi for graphs and might be of independent interest. Many open problems remain.Comment: 37 pages, 4 figure