Ghost Value Augmentation for $k$-Edge-Connectivity

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Hershkowitz, D Ellis, Klein, Nathan, Zenklusen, Rico
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Hershkowitz, D Ellis
Klein, Nathan
Zenklusen, Rico
author_facet Hershkowitz, D Ellis
Klein, Nathan
Zenklusen, Rico
contents We give a poly-time algorithm for the $k$-edge-connected spanning subgraph ($k$-ECSS) problem that returns a solution of cost no greater than the cheapest $(k+10)$-ECSS on the same graph. Our approach enhances the iterative relaxation framework with a new ingredient, which we call ghost values, that allows for high sparsity in intermediate problems. Our guarantees improve upon the best-known approximation factor of $2$ for $k$-ECSS whenever the optimal value of $(k+10)$-ECSS is close to that of $k$-ECSS. This is a property that holds for the closely related problem $k$-edge-connected spanning multi-subgraph ($k$-ECSM), which is identical to $k$-ECSS except edges can be selected multiple times at the same cost. As a consequence, we obtain a $\left(1+O\left(\frac{1}{k}\right)\right)$-approximation algorithm for $k$-ECSM, which resolves a conjecture of Pritchard and improves upon a recent $\left(1+O\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{k}}\right)\right)$-approximation algorithm of Karlin, Klein, Oveis Gharan, and Zhang. Moreover, we present a matching lower bound for $k$-ECSM, showing that our approximation ratio is tight up to the constant factor in $O\left(\frac{1}{k}\right)$, unless $P=NP$.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2311_09941
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Ghost Value Augmentation for $k$-Edge-Connectivity
Hershkowitz, D Ellis
Klein, Nathan
Zenklusen, Rico
Data Structures and Algorithms
Combinatorics
We give a poly-time algorithm for the $k$-edge-connected spanning subgraph ($k$-ECSS) problem that returns a solution of cost no greater than the cheapest $(k+10)$-ECSS on the same graph. Our approach enhances the iterative relaxation framework with a new ingredient, which we call ghost values, that allows for high sparsity in intermediate problems. Our guarantees improve upon the best-known approximation factor of $2$ for $k$-ECSS whenever the optimal value of $(k+10)$-ECSS is close to that of $k$-ECSS. This is a property that holds for the closely related problem $k$-edge-connected spanning multi-subgraph ($k$-ECSM), which is identical to $k$-ECSS except edges can be selected multiple times at the same cost. As a consequence, we obtain a $\left(1+O\left(\frac{1}{k}\right)\right)$-approximation algorithm for $k$-ECSM, which resolves a conjecture of Pritchard and improves upon a recent $\left(1+O\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{k}}\right)\right)$-approximation algorithm of Karlin, Klein, Oveis Gharan, and Zhang. Moreover, we present a matching lower bound for $k$-ECSM, showing that our approximation ratio is tight up to the constant factor in $O\left(\frac{1}{k}\right)$, unless $P=NP$.
title Ghost Value Augmentation for $k$-Edge-Connectivity
topic Data Structures and Algorithms
Combinatorics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09941