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    Towards a better approximation for sparsest cut?

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    We give a new (1+ϵ)(1+\epsilon)-approximation for sparsest cut problem on graphs where small sets expand significantly more than the sparsest cut (sets of size n/rn/r expand by a factor lognlogr\sqrt{\log n\log r} bigger, for some small rr; this condition holds for many natural graph families). We give two different algorithms. One involves Guruswami-Sinop rounding on the level-rr Lasserre relaxation. The other is combinatorial and involves a new notion called {\em Small Set Expander Flows} (inspired by the {\em expander flows} of ARV) which we show exists in the input graph. Both algorithms run in time 2O(r)poly(n)2^{O(r)} \mathrm{poly}(n). We also show similar approximation algorithms in graphs with genus gg with an analogous local expansion condition. This is the first algorithm we know of that achieves (1+ϵ)(1+\epsilon)-approximation on such general family of graphs
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