Efficiently Realizing Interval Sequences

Abstract

We consider the problem of realizable interval-sequences. An interval sequence comprises of $n$ integer intervals $[a_i,b_i]$ such that $0\leq a_i \leq b_i \leq n-1$, and is said to be graphic/realizable if there exists a graph with degree sequence, say, $D=(d_1,\ldots,d_n)$ satisfying the condition $a_i \leq d_i \leq b_i$, for each $i \in [1,n]$. There is a characterisation (also implying an $O(n)$ verifying algorithm) known for realizability of interval-sequences, which is a generalization of the Erdos-Gallai characterisation for graphic sequences. However, given any realizable interval-sequence, there is no known algorithm for computing a corresponding graphic certificate in $o(n^2)$ time. In this paper, we provide an $O(n \log n)$ time algorithm for computing a graphic sequence for any realizable interval sequence. In addition, when the interval sequence is non-realizable, we show how to find a graphic sequence having minimum deviation with respect to the given interval sequence, in the same time. Finally, we consider variants of the problem such as computing the most regular graphic sequence, and computing a minimum extension of a length $p$ non-graphic sequence to a graphic one.Comment: 19 pages, 1 figur