The Logarithmic Funnel Heap: A Statistically Self-Similar Priority Queue

Abstract

The present work contains the design and analysis of a statistically self-similar data structure using linear space and supporting the operations, insert, search, remove, increase-key and decrease-key for a deterministic priority queue in expected O(1) time. Extract-max runs in O(log N) time. The depth of the data structure is at most log* N. On the highest level, each element acts as the entrance of a discrete, log* N-level funnel with a logarithmically decreasing stem diameter, where the stem diameter denotes a metric for the expected number of items maintained on a given level.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure