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1. A Deterministic Algorithm for Balanced Cut with Applications to Dynamic Connectivity, Flows, and Beyond

   https://doi.org/10.1109/FOCS46700.2020.00111  

   Chuzhoy, Julia; Gao, Yu; Li, Jason; Nanongkai, Danupon; Peng, Richard; Saranurak, Thatchaphol (November 2020, 61st IEEE Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science, FOCS 2020, Durham, NC, USA, November 16-19, 2020)

   null (Ed.)

   We consider the classical Minimum Balanced Cut problem: given a graph $$G$$, compute a partition of its vertices into two subsets of roughly equal volume, while minimizing the number of edges connecting the subsets. We present the first {\em deterministic, almost-linear time} approximation algorithm for this problem. Specifically, our algorithm, given an $$n$$-vertex $$m$$-edge graph $$G$$ and any parameter $$1\leq r\leq O(\log n)$$, computes a $$(\log m)^{r^2}$$-approximation for Minimum Balanced Cut on $$G$$, in time $$O\left ( m^{1+O(1/r)+o(1)}\cdot (\log m)^{O(r^2)}\right )$$. In particular, we obtain a $$(\log m)^{1/\epsilon}$$-approximation in time $$m^{1+O(1/\sqrt{\epsilon})}$$ for any constant $$\epsilon$$, and a $$(\log m)^{f(m)}$$-approximation in time $$m^{1+o(1)}$$, for any slowly growing function $$m$$. We obtain deterministic algorithms with similar guarantees for the Sparsest Cut and the Lowest-Conductance Cut problems. Our algorithm for the Minimum Balanced Cut problem in fact provides a stronger guarantee: it either returns a balanced cut whose value is close to a given target value, or it certifies that such a cut does not exist by exhibiting a large subgraph of $$G$$ that has high conductance. We use this algorithm to obtain deterministic algorithms for dynamic connectivity and minimum spanning forest, whose worst-case update time on an $$n$$-vertex graph is $$n^{o(1)}$$, thus resolving a major open problem in the area of dynamic graph algorithms. Our work also implies deterministic algorithms for a host of additional problems, whose time complexities match, up to subpolynomial in $$n$$ factors, those of known randomized algorithms. The implications include almost-linear time deterministic algorithms for solving Laplacian systems and for approximating maximum flows in undirected graphs. 

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2. A Distanced Matching Game, Decremental {APSP} in Expanders, and Faster Deterministic Algorithms for Graph Cut Problems

   https://doi.org/10.1137/1.9781611977554.ch82  

   Chuzhoy, Julia (January 2023, Proceedings of the 2023 {ACM-SIAM} Symposium on Discrete Algorithms,{SODA} 2023)

   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. 

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3. Adaptive Out-Orientations with Applications

   https://doi.org/10.1137/1.9781611977912.110  

   Chekuri, Chandra; Christiansen, Aleksander Bjørn; Holm, Jacob; van der Hoog, Ivor; Quanrud, Kent; Rotenberg, Eva; Schwiegelshohn, Chris. (January 2024, Proceedings of the 2024 ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms, SODA 2024, Alexandria, VA, USA, January 7-10, 2024)

   Woodruff, David P. (Ed.)

   We give improved algorithms for maintaining edge-orientations of a fully-dynamic graph, such that the maximum out-degree is bounded. On one hand, we show how to orient the edges such that maximum out-degree is proportional to the arboricity $$\alpha$$ of the graph, in, either, an amortised update time of $$O(\log^2 n \log \alpha)$$, or a worst-case update time of $$O(\log^3 n \log \alpha)$$. On the other hand, motivated by applications including dynamic maximal matching, we obtain a different trade-off. Namely, the improved update time of either $$O(\log n \log \alpha)$$, amortised, or $$O(\log ^2 n \log \alpha)$$, worst-case, for the problem of maintaining an edge-orientation with at most $$O(\alpha + \log n)$$ out-edges per vertex. Finally, all of our algorithms naturally limit the recourse to be polylogarithmic in $$n$$ and $$\alpha$$. Our algorithms adapt to the current arboricity of the graph, and yield improvements over previous work: Firstly, we obtain deterministic algorithms for maintaining a $$(1+\varepsilon)$$ approximation of the maximum subgraph density, $$\rho$$, of the dynamic graph. Our algorithms have update times of $$O(\varepsilon^{-6}\log^3 n \log \rho)$$ worst-case, and $$O(\varepsilon^{-4}\log^2 n \log \rho)$$ amortised, respectively. We may output a subgraph $$H$$ of the input graph where its density is a $$(1+\varepsilon)$$ approximation of the maximum subgraph density in time linear in the size of the subgraph. These algorithms have improved update time compared to the $$O(\varepsilon^{-6}\log ^4 n)$$ algorithm by Sawlani and Wang from STOC 2020. Secondly, we obtain an $$O(\varepsilon^{-6}\log^3 n \log \alpha)$$ worst-case update time algorithm for maintaining a $$(1~+~\varepsilon)\textnormal{OPT} + 2$$ approximation of the optimal out-orientation of a graph with adaptive arboricity $$\alpha$$, improving the $$O(\varepsilon^{-6}\alpha^2 \log^3 n)$$ algorithm by Christiansen and Rotenberg from ICALP 2022. This yields the first worst-case polylogarithmic dynamic algorithm for decomposing into $$O(\alpha)$$ forests. Thirdly, we obtain arboricity-adaptive fully-dynamic deterministic algorithms for a variety of problems including maximal matching, $$\Delta+1$$ colouring, and matrix vector multiplication. All update times are worst-case $$O(\alpha+\log^2n \log \alpha)$$, where $$\alpha$$ is the current arboricity of the graph. For the maximal matching problem, the state-of-the-art deterministic algorithms by Kopelowitz, Krauthgamer, Porat, and Solomon from ICALP 2014 runs in time $$O(\alpha^2 + \log^2 n)$$, and by Neiman and Solomon from STOC 2013 runs in time $$O(\sqrt{m})$$. We give improved running times whenever the arboricity $$\alpha \in \omega( \log n\sqrt{\log\log n})$$. 

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4. Vertex Sparsification for Edge Connectivity

   https://doi.org/10.1137/1.9781611976465.74  

   Chalermsook, Parinya; Das, Syamantak Das; Kook, Yunbum; Laekhanukit, Bundit; Liu, Yang P.; Peng, Richard Peng; Sellke, Mark; Vaz, Daniel (January 2021, Proceedings of the 2021 {ACM-SIAM} Symposium on Discrete Algorithms, SODA 2021, Virtual Conference, January 10 - 13, 2021)

   null (Ed.)

   Graph compression or sparsification is a basic information-theoretic and computational question. A major open problem in this research area is whether $$(1+\epsilon)$$-approximate cut-preserving vertex sparsifiers with size close to the number of terminals exist. As a step towards this goal, we initiate the study of a thresholded version of the problem: for a given parameter $$c$$, find a smaller graph, which we call \emph{connectivity-$$c$$ mimicking network}, which preserves connectivity among $$k$$ terminals exactly up to the value of $$c$$. We show that connectivity-$$c$$ mimicking networks of size $O(kc^4)$ exist and can be found in time $$m(c\log n)^{O(c)}$$. We also give a separate algorithm that constructs such graphs of size $$k \cdot O(c)^{2c}$$ in time $$mc^{O(c)}\log^{O(1)}n$$. These results lead to the first offline data structures for answering fully dynamic $$c$$-edge-connectivity queries for $$c \ge 4$$ in polylogarithmic time per query as well as more efficient algorithms for survivable network design on bounded treewidth graphs. 

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5. On the Cut-Query Complexity of Approximating Max-Cut

   https://doi.org/10.4230/LIPICS.ICALP.2024.115  

   Plevrakis, Orestis; Ragavan, Seyoon; Weinberg, S Matthew (January 2024, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik)

   Bringmann, Karl; Grohe, Martin; Puppis, Gabriele; Svensson, Ola (Ed.)

   We consider the problem of query-efficient global max-cut on a weighted undirected graph in the value oracle model examined by [Rubinstein et al., 2018]. Graph algorithms in this cut query model and other query models have recently been studied for various other problems such as min-cut, connectivity, bipartiteness, and triangle detection. Max-cut in the cut query model can also be viewed as a natural special case of submodular function maximization: on query S ⊆ V, the oracle returns the total weight of the cut between S and V\S. Our first main technical result is a lower bound stating that a deterministic algorithm achieving a c-approximation for any c > 1/2 requires Ω(n) queries. This uses an extension of the cut dimension to rule out approximation (prior work of [Graur et al., 2020] introducing the cut dimension only rules out exact solutions). Secondly, we provide a randomized algorithm with Õ(n) queries that finds a c-approximation for any c < 1. We achieve this using a query-efficient sparsifier for undirected weighted graphs (prior work of [Rubinstein et al., 2018] holds only for unweighted graphs). To complement these results, for most constants c ∈ (0,1], we nail down the query complexity of achieving a c-approximation, for both deterministic and randomized algorithms (up to logarithmic factors). Analogously to general submodular function maximization in the same model, we observe a phase transition at c = 1/2: we design a deterministic algorithm for global c-approximate max-cut in O(log n) queries for any c < 1/2, and show that any randomized algorithm requires Ω(n/log n) queries to find a c-approximate max-cut for any c > 1/2. Additionally, we show that any deterministic algorithm requires Ω(n²) queries to find an exact max-cut (enough to learn the entire graph). 

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