Optimal Algorithms for Hitting (Topological) Minors on Graphs of Bounded Treewidth

For a fixed collection of graphs F, the F-M-DELETION problem consists in, given a graph G and an integer k, decide whether there exists a subset S of V(G) of size at most k such that G-S does not contain any of the graphs in F as a minor. We are interested in the parameterized complexity of F-M-DELETION when the parameter is the treewidth of G, denoted by tw. Our objective is to determine, for a fixed F}, the smallest function f_F such that F-M-DELETION can be solved in time f_F(tw)n^{O(1)} on n-vertex graphs. Using and enhancing the machinery of boundaried graphs and small sets of representatives introduced by Bodlaender et al. [J ACM, 2016], we prove that when all the graphs in F are connected and at least one of them is planar, then f_F(w) = 2^{O(wlog w)}. When F is a singleton containing a clique, a cycle, or a path on i vertices, we prove the following asymptotically tight bounds: - f_{K_4}(w) = 2^{Theta(wlog w)}. - f_{C_i}(w) = 2^{Theta(w)} for every i4. - f_{P_i}(w) = 2^{Theta(w)} for every i5. The lower bounds hold unless the Exponential Time Hypothesis fails, and the superexponential ones are inspired by a reduction of Marcin Pilipczuk [Discrete Appl Math, 2016]. The single-exponential algorithms use, in particular, the rank-based approach introduced by Bodlaender et al. [Inform Comput, 2015]. We also consider the version of the problem where the graphs in F are forbidden as topological minors, and prove essentially the same set of results holds

Generalized feedback vertex set problems on bounded-treewidth graphs: chordality is the key to single-exponential parameterised algorithms

It has long been known that Feedback Vertex Set can be solved in time 2^O(w log w)n^O(1) on graphs of treewidth w, but it was only recently that this running time was improved to 2^O(w)n^O(1), that is, to single-exponential parameterized by treewidth. We investigate which generalizations of Feedback Vertex Set can be solved in a similar running time. Formally, for a class of graphs P, Bounded P-Block Vertex Deletion asks, given a graph G on n vertices and positive integers k and d, whether G contains a set S of at most k vertices such that each block of G-S has at most d vertices and is in P. Assuming that P is recognizable in polynomial time and satisfies a certain natural hereditary condition, we give a sharp characterization of when single-exponential parameterized algorithms are possible for fixed values of d: - if P consists only of chordal graphs, then the problem can be solved in time 2^O(wd^2) n^{O}(1), - if P contains a graph with an induced cycle of length ell>= 4, then the problem is not solvable in time 2^{o(w log w)} n^O(1)} even for fixed d=ell, unless the ETH fails. We also study a similar problem, called Bounded P-Component Vertex Deletion, where the target graphs have connected components of small size instead of having blocks of small size, and present analogous results

Generalized feedback vertex set problems on bounded-treewidth graphs: chordality is the key to single-exponential parameterised algorithms

It has long been known that Feedback Vertex Set can be solved in time 2^O(w log w)n^O(1) on graphs of treewidth w, but it was only recently that this running time was improved to 2^O(w)n^O(1), that is, to single-exponential parameterized by treewidth. We investigate which generalizations of Feedback Vertex Set can be solved in a similar running time. Formally, for a class of graphs P, Bounded P-Block Vertex Deletion asks, given a graph G on n vertices and positive integers k and d, whether G contains a set S of at most k vertices such that each block of G-S has at most d vertices and is in P. Assuming that P is recognizable in polynomial time and satisfies a certain natural hereditary condition, we give a sharp characterization of when single-exponential parameterized algorithms are possible for fixed values of d: - if P consists only of chordal graphs, then the problem can be solved in time 2^O(wd^2) n^{O}(1), - if P contains a graph with an induced cycle of length ell>= 4, then the problem is not solvable in time 2^{o(w log w)} n^O(1)} even for fixed d=ell, unless the ETH fails. We also study a similar problem, called Bounded P-Component Vertex Deletion, where the target graphs have connected components of small size instead of having blocks of small size, and present analogous results