In this paper, we consider two fundamental cut approximation problems on large graphs. We prove new lower bounds for both problems that are optimal up to logarithmic factors.
The first problem is approximating cuts in balanced directed graphs, where the goal is to build a data structure to provide a $(1 \pm \epsilon)$-estimation of the cut values of a graph on $n$ vertices. For this problem, there are tight bounds for undirected graphs, but for directed graphs, such a data structure requires $\Omega(n^2)$ bits even for constant $\epsilon$. To cope with this, recent works consider $\beta$-balanced graphs, meaning that for every directed cut, the total weight of edges in one direction is at most $\beta$ times the total weight in the other direction. We consider the for-each model, where the goal is to approximate a fixed cut with high probability, and the for-all model, where the data structure must simultaneously preserve all cuts. We improve the previous $\Omega(n \sqrt{\beta/\epsilon})$ lower bound in the for-each model to $\tilde\Omega(n \sqrt{\beta}/\epsilon)$ and we improve the previous $\Omega(n \beta/\epsilon)$ lower bound in the for-all model to $\Omega(n \beta/\epsilon^2)$. This resolves the main open questions of (Cen et al., ICALP, 2021).
The second problem is approximating the global minimum cut in the local query model where we can only access the graph through degree, edge, and adjacency queries. We prove an $\Omega(\min\{m, \frac{m}{\epsilon^2 k}\})$ lower bound for this problem, which improves the previous $\Omega(\frac{m}{k})$ lower bound, where $m$ is the number of edges of the graph, $k$ is the minimum cut size, and we seek a $(1+\epsilon)$-approximation. In addition, we observe that existing upper bounds with minor modifications match our lower bound up to logarithmic factors.
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Optimal Bounds for the k -cut Problem
In the k -cut problem, we want to find the lowest-weight set of edges whose deletion breaks a given (multi)graph into k connected components. Algorithms of Karger and Stein can solve this in roughly O ( n 2k ) time. However, lower bounds from conjectures about the k -clique problem imply that Ω ( n (1- o (1)) k ) time is likely needed. Recent results of Gupta, Lee, and Li have given new algorithms for general k -cut in n 1.98k + O(1) time, as well as specialized algorithms with better performance for certain classes of graphs (e.g., for small integer edge weights). In this work, we resolve the problem for general graphs. We show that the Contraction Algorithm of Karger outputs any fixed k -cut of weight α λ k with probability Ω k ( n - α k ), where λ k denotes the minimum k -cut weight. This also gives an extremal bound of O k ( n k ) on the number of minimum k -cuts and an algorithm to compute λ k with roughly n k polylog( n ) runtime. Both are tight up to lower-order factors, with the algorithmic lower bound assuming hardness of max-weight k -clique. The first main ingredient in our result is an extremal bound on the number of cuts of weight less than 2 λ k / k , using the Sunflower lemma. The second ingredient is a fine-grained analysis of how the graph shrinks—and how the average degree evolves—in the Karger process.
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- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10327023
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of the ACM
- Volume:
- 69
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0004-5411
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 18
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract In a Merlin–Arthur proof system, the proof verifier (Arthur) accepts valid proofs (from Merlin) with probability 1, and rejects invalid proofs with probability arbitrarily close to 1. The running time of such a system is defined to be the length of Merlin’s proof plus the running time of Arthur. We provide new Merlin–Arthur proof systems for some key problems in fine-grained complexity. In several cases our proof systems have optimal running time. Our main results include:
Certifying that a list of
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n -node graph can be done in Merlin–Arthur time$$\tilde{O}(n^2)$$ $$\Omega (n^2)$$ $$\tilde{O}(n^{2.94})$$ Certifying that an
n -variablek -CNF is unsatisfiable can be done in Merlin–Arthur time$$2^{n/2 - n/O(k)}$$ $$2^{n/2}\cdot \textrm{poly}(n)$$ $$\#$$ k -UNSAT running in$$2^{n/2}/n^{\omega (1)}$$ Certifying a Quantified Boolean Formula is true can be done in Merlin–Arthur time
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Expander graphs play a central role in graph theory and algorithms. With a number of powerful algorithmic tools developed around them, such as the Cut-Matching game, expander pruning, expander decomposition, and algorithms for decremental All-Pairs Shortest Paths (APSP) in expanders, to name just a few, the use of expanders in the design of graph algorithms has become ubiquitous. Specific applications of interest to us are fast deterministic algorithms for cut problems in static graphs, and algorithms for dynamic distance-based graph problems, such as APSP. Unfortunately, the use of expanders in these settings incurs a number of drawbacks. For example, the best currently known algorithm for decremental APSP in constant-degree expanders can only achieve a (log n) O(1/ 2 ) -approximation with n 1+O( ) total update time for any . All currently known algorithms for the Cut Player in the Cut-Matching game are either randomized, or provide rather weak guarantees: expansion 1/(log n) 1/ with running time n 1+O( ) . This, in turn, leads to somewhat weak algorithmic guarantees for several central cut problems: the best current almost linear time deterministic algorithms for Sparsest Cut, Lowest Conductance Cut, and Balanced Cut can only achieve approximation factor (log n) ω(1). Lastly, when relying on expanders in distancebased problems, such as dynamic APSP, via current methods, it seems inevitable that one has to settle for approximation factors that are at least Ω(log n). In contrast, we do not have any negative results that rule out a factor-5 approximation with near-linear total update time. In this paper we propose the use of well-connected graphs, and introduce a new algorithmic toolkit for such graphs that, in a sense, mirrors the above mentioned algorithmic tools for expanders. One of these new tools is the Distanced Matching game, an analogue of the Cut-Matching game for well-connected graphs. We demonstrate the power of these new tools by obtaining better results for several of the problems mentioned above. First, we design an algorithm for decremental APSP in expanders with significantly better guarantees: in a constant-degree expander, the algorithm achieves (log n) 1+o(1)-approximation, with total update time n 1+o(1). We also obtain a deterministic algorithm for the Cut Player in the Cut-Matching game that achieves expansion 1 (log n) 5+o(1) in time n 1+o(1), deterministic almost linear-time algorithms for Sparsest Cut, Lowest-Conductance Cut, and Minimum Balanced Cut with approximation factors O(poly log n), as well as improved deterministic algorithm for Expander Decomposition. We believe that the use of well-connected graphs instead of expanders in various dynamic distance-based problems (such as APSP in general graphs) has the potential of providing much stronger guarantees, since we are no longer necessarily restricted to superlogarithmic approximation factors.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1145/3478018
