arXiv subjects

Maximilian Probst Gutenberg

Publications and source records attributed to Maximilian Probst Gutenberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Partially-Dynamic All-Pairs Maxflow and Effective Resistance via Stable Sparsifiers

We give a randomized data structure for undirected weighted graphs that are partially dynamic, i.e., that undergo either only edge insertions or only edge deletions. The data structure maintains $(1\pmε)$-approximations to the maxflow value and effective resistance between any queried pair of vertices, with total update time $\widetilde{O}_ε(n^2)$ and worst-case query time $\widetilde{O}_ε(1)$. Thus, for dense graphs where $m = Ω(n^2)$, our guarantees are near-optimal. Our algorithms succeed with high probability against an adaptive adversary. Our result follows from a simple stability principle for partially dynamic graphs. We show how to partition an online sequence of $m$ updates into $\widetilde{O}(n/ε)$ epochs such that every graph within an epoch is a $(1\pm O(ε))$-spectral approximation of the graph at the beginning of the epoch. The epochs are determined by the cumulative leverage score of the updated edges: small leverage-score mass implies small spectral change, while the total leverage-score mass over a monotone update sequence is $\widetilde{O}(n)$. Consequently, a spectral sparsifier needs to be recomputed only once per epoch. Applying known static all-pairs maxflow and effective-resistance oracles to these sparsifiers then yields the result.

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arXiv2026

An Online Sparsification Algorithm from the Book

In their seminal paper [Cohen et al., 2016], Cohen, Musco, and Pachocki proposed a natural and simple online spectral sparsification algorithm: rows $a_1, a_2, \ldots \in \mathbb{R}^d$ of a matrix $A$ arrive one-by-one, and when row $a_i$ arrives, it is appended to sparsifier $\tilde{A}$ (after appropriately reweighting it) with probability proportional to its current leverage score $$ τ^{\mathrm{OL}}(a_i)=a_i^\top(A_i^\top A_i)^\dagger a_i, \text{ where }A_i = [a_1, a_2, \ldots, a_i]^\top $$ or otherwise discarded forever. For oblivious streams, they showed that this maintains a $(1\pmε)$-spectral approximation $\tilde{A}$ of every $A$ with $O(dε^{-2}\log^2 d)$ many rows. A natural question is whether the same algorithm works for adaptive streams, where each row may depend on the algorithm's previous random choices. The original proof does not extend directly: it analyzes the process in isotropic position with respect to the final matrix $A$, which is not fixed in advance under adaptivity. As an extension of this proof framework remained elusive, various algorithmic variants have since been suggested. In this paper, we show that the original online leverage-score sampling algorithm is indeed robust to adaptive adversaries. Our main technical contribution is a Freedman-type matrix martingale inequality with an evolving isotropic map, allowing the isotropic map used in the concentration argument to change with the stream. As a consequence, this gives the first online sparsification algorithm for adaptive streams that yields a sparsifier of near-optimal size $O(d \varepsilon^{-2}\log^2 d)$ whose working memory is proportional to the size of the sparsifier. For the special case of spectral graph sparsification, we provide an implementation that additionally runs in time near-linear in the stream size.

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arXiv2026

A Near-Optimal Offline Algorithm for Dynamic All-Pairs Shortest Paths in Planar Digraphs

In the planar, dynamic All-Pairs Shortest Paths (APSP) problem, a planar, weighted digraph $G$ undergoes a sequence of edge weight updates and the goal is to maintain a data structure on $G$, that can quickly answer distance queries between any two vertices $x,y \in V(G)$. The currently best algorithms for this problem require $\tilde{O}(n^{2/3})$ worst-case update and query time, while conditional lower bounds show that either update or query time $n^{0.5-δ}$ is needed for any constant $δ> 0$. In this article, we present the first algorithm with near-optimal $\tilde{O}(\sqrt{n})$ worst-case update and query time for the offline setting, where the update sequence is given initially. This result is obtained by giving the first offline dynamic algorithm for maintaining dense distance graphs (DDGs) faster than recomputing from scratch after each update. Further, we also present an \emph{online} algorithm for the incremental APSP problem with $\tilde{O}(\sqrt{n})$ worst-case update/ query time. This allows us to reduce the online dynamic APSP problem to the online decremental APSP problem, which constitutes partial progress even for the online version of this notorious problem.

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arXiv2026

An Approximation Algorithm for Graph Label Selection

In the graph label selection problem, one is given an $n$-vertex graph and a budget $k$, and seeks to select $k$ vertices whose labels enable accurate prediction of the labels on the remaining vertices. This problem formalizes distilling a small representative set from the whole graph. We present the first $\tilde{O}(\log^{1.5} n)$-approximation algorithm for graph label selection under the standard budget constraint. Prior work either relies on resource augmentation, allowing substantially more than $k$ labeled vertices, or consists primarily of heuristics without provable guarantees. Finally, we demonstrate that practical heuristic variants of our algorithm scale to significantly larger graphs than previous methods, while essentially retaining their quality.

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arXiv2026

Parallel Reachability and Shortest Paths on Non-sparse Digraphs: Near-linear Work and Sub-square-root Depth

We present parallel algorithms for computing single-source reachability and shortest paths on directed $n$-vertex $m$-edge graphs using near-linear $\tilde{O}(m)$ work and $o(\sqrt{n})$ depth whenever $m\ge n^{1+o(1)}$. At the extreme of $m=Ω(n^{2})$, our reachability and shortest path algorithms have depth only $n^{0.136}$ and $n^{0.25+o(1)}$, respectively. The state-of-the-art parallel algorithms with near-linear work for both problems require $Ω(\sqrt{n})$ depth in all density regimes.

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arXiv2026

A Simple and Fast Reduction from Gomory-Hu Trees to Polylog Maxflows

Given an undirected graph $G=(V,E,w)$, a Gomory-Hu tree $T$ (Gomory and Hu, 1961) is a tree on $V$ that preserves all-pairs mincuts of $G$ exactly. We present a simple, efficient reduction from Gomory-Hu trees to polylog maxflow computations. On unweighted graphs, our reduction reduces to maxflow computations on graphs of total instance size $\tilde{O}(m)$ and the algorithm requires only $\tilde{O}(m)$ additional time. Our reduction is the first that is tight up to polylog factors. The reduction also seamlessly extends to weighted graphs, however, instance sizes and runtime increase to $\tilde{O}(n^2)$. Finally, we show how to extend our reduction to reduce Gomory-Hu trees for unweighted hypergraphs to maxflow in hypergraphs. Again, our reduction is the first that is tight up to polylog factors.

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arXiv2026

A Simple Deterministic Reduction From Gomory-Hu Tree to Maxflow and Expander Decomposition

Given an undirected graph $G=(V,E,w)$, a Gomory-Hu tree $T$ (Gomory and Hu, 1961) is a tree on $V$ that preserves all-pairs mincuts of $G$ exactly. We present a simple and efficient randomized reduction from Gomory-Hu trees to polylog maxflow computations. On unweighted graphs, our reduction reduces to maxflow computations on graphs of total instance size $\tilde{O}(m)$ and the algorithm requires only $\tilde{O}(m)$ additional time. Our reduction is the first that is tight up to polylog factors. The reduction also seamlessly extends to weighted graphs, however, instance sizes and runtime increase to $\tilde{O}(n^2)$. Finally, we show how to extend our reduction to reduce Gomory-Hu trees for unweighted hypergraphs to maxflow in hypergraphs. Again, our reduction is the first that is tight up to polylog factors.

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arXiv2025

Reviving Thorup's Shortcut Conjecture

We aim to revive Thorup's conjecture [Thorup, WG'92] on the existence of reachability shortcuts with ideal size-diameter tradeoffs. Thorup originally asked whether, given any graph $G=(V,E)$ with $m$ edges, we can add $m^{1+o(1)}$ ``shortcut'' edges $E_+$ from the transitive closure $E^*$ of $G$ so that $\text{dist}_{G_+}(u,v) \leq m^{o(1)}$ for all $(u,v)\in E^*$, where $G_+=(V,E\cup E_+)$. The conjecture was refuted by Hesse [Hesse, SODA'03], followed by significant efforts in the last few years to optimize the lower bounds. In this paper we observe that although Hesse refuted the letter of Thorup's conjecture, his work~[Hesse, SODA'03] -- and all followup work -- does not refute the spirit of the conjecture, which should allow $G_+$ to contain both new (shortcut) edges and new Steiner vertices. Our results are as follows. (1) On the positive side, we present explicit attacks that break all known shortcut lower bounds when Steiner vertices are allowed. (2) On the negative side, we rule out ideal $m^{1+o(1)}$-size, $m^{o(1)}$-diameter shortcuts whose ``thickness'' is $t=o(\log n/\log \log n)$, meaning no path can contain $t$ consecutive Steiner vertices. (3) We propose a candidate hard instance as the next step toward resolving the revised version of Thorup's conjecture. Finally, we show promising implications. Almost-optimal parallel algorithms for computing a generalization of the shortcut that approximately preserves distances or flows imply almost-optimal parallel algorithms with $m^{o(1)}$ depth for exact shortcut paths and exact maximum flow. The state-of-the-art algorithms have much worse depth of $n^{1/2+o(1)}$ [Rozhoň, Haeupler, Martinsson, STOC'23] and $m^{1+o(1)}$ [Chen, Kyng, Liu, FOCS'22], respectively.

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arXiv2025

Random-Shift Revisited: Tight Approximations for Tree Embeddings and L1-Oblivious Routings

We present a new and surprisingly simple analysis of random-shift decompositions -- originally proposed by Miller, Peng, and Xu [SPAA'13]: We show that decompositions for exponentially growing scales $D = 2^0, 2^1, \ldots, 2^{\log_2(\operatorname{diam}(G))}$, have a tight constant trade-off between distance-to-center and separation probability on average across the distance scales -- opposed to a necessary $Ω(\log n)$ trade-off for a single scale. This almost immediately yields a way to compute a tree $T$ for graph $G$ that preserves all graph distances with expected $O(\log n)$-stretch. This gives an alternative proof that obtains tight approximation bounds of the seminal result by Fakcharoenphol, Rao, and Talwar [STOC'03] matching the $Ω(\log n)$ lower bound by Bartal [FOCS'96]. Our insights can also be used to refine the analysis of a simple $\ell_1$-oblivious routing proposed in [FOCS'22], yielding a tight $O(\log n)$ competitive ratio. Our algorithms for constructing tree embeddings and $\ell_1$-oblivious routings can be implemented in the sequential, parallel, and distributed settings with optimal work, depth, and rounds, up to polylogarithmic factors. Previously, fast algorithms with tight guarantees were not known for tree embeddings in parallel and distributed settings, and for $\ell_1$-oblivious routings, not even a fast sequential algorithm was known.

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arXiv2025

Dynamic Connectivity with Expected Polylogarithmic Worst-Case Update Time

Whether a graph $G=(V,E)$ is connected is arguably its most fundamental property. Naturally, connectivity was the first characteristic studied for dynamic graphs, i.e. graphs that undergo edge insertions and deletions. While connectivity algorithms with polylogarithmic amortized update time have been known since the 90s, achieving worst-case guarantees has proven more elusive. Two recent breakthroughs have made important progress on this question: (1) Kapron, King and Mountjoy [SODA'13; Best Paper] gave a Monte-Carlo algorithm with polylogarithmic worst-case update time, and (2) Nanongkai, Saranurak and Wulff-Nilsen [STOC'17, FOCS'17] obtained a Las-Vegas data structure, however, with subpolynomial worst-case update time. Their algorithm was subsequently de-randomized [FOCS'20]. In this article, we present a new dynamic connectivity algorithm based on the popular core graph framework that maintains a hierarchy interleaving vertex and edge sparsification. Previous dynamic implementations of the core graph framework required subpolynomial update time. In contrast, we show how to implement it for dynamic connectivity with polylogarithmic expected worst-case update time. We further show that the algorithm can be de-randomized efficiently: a deterministic static algorithm for computing a connectivity edge-sparsifier of low congestion in time $T(m) \cdot m$ on an $m$-edge graph yields a deterministic dynamic connectivity algorithm with $\tilde{O}(T(m))$ worst-case update time. Via current state-of-the-art algorithms [STOC'24], we obtain $T(m) = m^{o(1)}$ and recover deterministic subpolynomial worst-case update time.

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arXiv2025

Deterministic Almost-Linear-Time Gomory-Hu Trees

Given an $m$-edge, undirected, weighted graph $G=(V,E,w)$, a Gomory-Hu tree $T$ (Gomory and Hu, 1961) is a tree over the vertex set $V$ such that all-pairs mincuts in $G$ are preserved exactly in $T$. In this article, we give the first almost-optimal $m^{1+o(1)}$-time deterministic algorithm for constructing a Gomory-Hu tree. Prior to our work, the best deterministic algorithm for this problem dated back to the original algorithm of Gomory and Hu that runs in $nm^{1+o(1)}$ time (using current maxflow algorithms). In fact, this is the first almost-linear time deterministic algorithm for even simpler problems, such as finding the $k$-edge-connected components of a graph. Our new result hinges on two separate and novel components that each introduce a distinct set of de-randomization tools of independent interest: - a deterministic reduction from the all-pairs mincuts problem to the single-souce mincuts problem incurring only subpolynomial overhead, and - a deterministic almost-linear time algorithm for the single-source mincuts problem.

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arXiv2025

Expander Pruning with Polylogarithmic Worst-Case Recourse and Update Time

Expander graphs are known to be robust to edge deletions in the following sense: for any online sequence of edge deletions $e_1, e_2, \ldots, e_k$ to an $m$-edge graph $G$ that is initially a $ϕ$-expander, the algorithm can grow a set $P \subseteq V$ such that at any time $t$, $G[V \setminus P]$ is an expander of the same quality as the initial graph $G$ up to a constant factor and the set $P$ has volume at most $O(t/ϕ)$. However, currently, there is no algorithm to grow $P$ with low worst-case recourse that achieves any non-trivial guarantee. In this work, we present an algorithm that achieves near-optimal guarantees: we give an algorithm that grows $P$ only by $\tilde{O}(1/ϕ^2)$ vertices per time step and ensures that $G[V \setminus P]$ remains $\tildeΩ(ϕ)$-expander at any time. Even more excitingly, our algorithm is extremely efficient: it can process each update in near-optimal worst-case update time $\tilde{O}(1/ϕ^2)$. This affirmatively answers the main open question posed in [SW19] whether such an algorithm exists. By combining our results with recent techniques in [BvdBPG+22], we obtain the first adaptive algorithms to maintain spanners, cut and spectral sparsifiers with $\tilde{O}(n)$ edges and polylogarithmic approximation guarantees, worst-case update time and recourse. More generally, we believe that worst-case pruning is an essential tool for obtaining worst-case guarantees in dynamic graph algorithms and online algorithms.

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arXiv2025

Near-Optimal Algorithm for Directed Expander Decompositions

In this work, we present the first algorithm to compute expander decompositions in an m-edge directed graph with near-optimal time Õ(m). Further, our algorithm can maintain such a decomposition in a dynamic graph and again obtains near-optimal update times. Our result improves over previous algorithms of Bernstein-Probst Gutenberg-Saranurak (FOCS 2020), Hua-Kyng-Probst Gutenberg-Wu (SODA 2023) that only obtained algorithms optimal up to subpolynomial factors. In order to obtain our new algorithm, we present a new push-pull-relabel flow framework that generalizes the classic push-relabel flow algorithm Goldberg-Tarjan (JACM 1988) which was later dynamized for computing expander decompositions in undirected graphs Henzinger-Rao-Wang (SIAM J. Comput. 2020), Saranurak-Wang (SODA 2019). We then show that the flow problems formulated in recent work Hua-Kyng-Probst Gutenberg-Wu (SODA 2023) to decompose directed graphs can be solved much more efficiently in the push-pull-relabel flow framework. Recently, our algorithm has already been employed to obtain the currently fastest algorithm to compute min-cost flows Van den Brand-Chen-Kyng-Liu-Probst Gutenberg-Sachdeva (FOCS 2024). We further believe that our algorithm can be used to speed-up and simplify recent breakthroughs in combinatorial graph algorithms towards fast maximum flow algorithms Chuzhoy-Khanna (SODA 2024), Chuzhoy-Khanna (STOC 2024), Bernstein-Blikstad-Saranurak-Tu (FOCS 2024).

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arXiv2025

Parallel and Distributed Expander Decomposition: Simple, Fast, and Near-Optimal

Expander decompositions have become one of the central frameworks in the design of fast algorithms. For an undirected graph $G=(V,E)$, a near-optimal $ϕ$-expander decomposition is a partition $V_1, V_2, \ldots, V_k$ of the vertex set $V$ where each subgraph $G[V_i]$ is a $ϕ$-expander, and only an $\widetilde{O}(ϕ)$-fraction of the edges cross between partition sets. In this article, we give the first near-optimal parallel algorithm to compute $ϕ$-expander decompositions in near-linear work $\widetilde{O}(m/ϕ^2)$ and near-constant span $\widetilde{O}(1/ϕ^4)$. Our algorithm is very simple and likely practical. Our algorithm can also be implemented in the distributed Congest model in $\tilde{O}(1/ϕ^4)$ rounds. Our results surpass the theoretical guarantees of the current state-of-the-art parallel algorithms [Chang-Saranurak PODC'19, Chang-Saranurak FOCS'20], while being the first to ensure that only an $\tilde{O}(ϕ)$ fraction of edges cross between partition sets. In contrast, previous algorithms [Chang-Saranurak PODC'19, Chang-Saranurak FOCS'20] admit at least an $O(ϕ^{1/3})$ fraction of crossing edges, a polynomial loss in quality inherent to their random-walk-based techniques. Our algorithm, instead, leverages flow-based techniques and extends the popular sequential algorithm presented in [Saranurak-Wang SODA'19].

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arXiv2024

Almost-Linear Time Algorithms for Decremental Graphs: Min-Cost Flow and More via Duality

We give the first almost-linear total time algorithm for deciding if a flow of cost at most $F$ still exists in a directed graph, with edge costs and capacities, undergoing decremental updates, i.e., edge deletions, capacity decreases, and cost increases. This implies almost-linear time algorithms for approximating the minimum-cost flow value and $s$-$t$ distance on such decremental graphs. Our framework additionally allows us to maintain decremental strongly connected components in almost-linear time deterministically. These algorithms also improve over the current best known runtimes for statically computing minimum-cost flow, in both the randomized and deterministic settings. We obtain our algorithms by taking the dual perspective, which yields cut-based algorithms. More precisely, our algorithm computes the flow via a sequence of $m^{1+o(1)}$ dynamic min-ratio cut problems, the dual analog of the dynamic min-ratio cycle problem that underlies recent fast algorithms for minimum-cost flow. Our main technical contribution is a new data structure that returns an approximately optimal min-ratio cut in amortized $m^{o(1)}$ time by maintaining a tree-cut sparsifier. This is achieved by devising a new algorithm to maintain the dynamic expander hierarchy of [Goranci-Räcke-Saranurak-Tan, SODA 2021] that also works in capacitated graphs. All our algorithms are deterministc, though they can be sped up further using randomized techniques while still working against an adaptive adversary.

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arXiv2024

Optimal Electrical Oblivious Routing on Expanders

In this paper, we investigate the question of whether the electrical flow routing is a good oblivious routing scheme on an $m$-edge graph $G = (V, E)$ that is a $Φ$-expander, i.e. where $\lvert \partial S \rvert \geq Φ\cdot \mathrm{vol}(S)$ for every $S \subseteq V, \mathrm{vol}(S) \leq \mathrm{vol}(V)/2$. Beyond its simplicity and structural importance, this question is well-motivated by the current state-of-the-art of fast algorithms for $\ell_{\infty}$ oblivious routings that reduce to the expander-case which is in turn solved by electrical flow routing. Our main result proves that the electrical routing is an $O(Φ^{-1} \log m)$-competitive oblivious routing in the $\ell_1$- and $\ell_\infty$-norms. We further observe that the oblivious routing is $O(\log^2 m)$-competitive in the $\ell_2$-norm and, in fact, $O(\log m)$-competitive if $\ell_2$-localization is $O(\log m)$ which is widely believed. Using these three upper bounds, we can smoothly interpolate to obtain upper bounds for every $p \in [2, \infty]$ and $q$ given by $1/p + 1/q = 1$. Assuming $\ell_2$-localization in $O(\log m)$, we obtain that in $\ell_p$ and $\ell_q$, the electrical oblivious routing is $O(Φ^{-(1-2/p)}\log m)$ competitive. Using the currently known result for $\ell_2$-localization, this ratio deteriorates by at most a sublogarithmic factor for every $p, q \neq 2$. We complement our upper bounds with lower bounds that show that the electrical routing for any such $p$ and $q$ is $Ω(Φ^{-(1-2/p)}\log m)$-competitive. This renders our results in $\ell_1$ and $\ell_{\infty}$ unconditionally tight up to constants, and the result in any $\ell_p$- and $\ell_q$-norm to be tight in case of $\ell_2$-localization in $O(\log m)$.

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arXiv2023

Almost-Linear Time Algorithms for Incremental Graphs: Cycle Detection, SCCs, $s$-$t$ Shortest Path, and Minimum-Cost Flow

We give the first almost-linear time algorithms for several problems in incremental graphs including cycle detection, strongly connected component maintenance, $s$-$t$ shortest path, maximum flow, and minimum-cost flow. To solve these problems, we give a deterministic data structure that returns a $m^{o(1)}$-approximate minimum-ratio cycle in fully dynamic graphs in amortized $m^{o(1)}$ time per update. Combining this with the interior point method framework of Brand-Liu-Sidford (STOC 2023) gives the first almost-linear time algorithm for deciding the first update in an incremental graph after which the cost of the minimum-cost flow attains value at most some given threshold $F$. By rather direct reductions to minimum-cost flow, we are then able to solve the problems in incremental graphs mentioned above. At a high level, our algorithm dynamizes the $\ell_1$ oblivious routing of Rozhoň-Grunau-Haeupler-Zuzic-Li (STOC 2022), and develops a method to extract an approximate minimum ratio cycle from the structure of the oblivious routing. To maintain the oblivious routing, we use tools from concurrent work of Kyng-Meierhans-Probst Gutenberg which designed vertex sparsifiers for shortest paths, in order to maintain a sparse neighborhood cover in fully dynamic graphs. To find a cycle, we first show that an approximate minimum ratio cycle can be represented as a fundamental cycle on a small set of trees resulting from the oblivious routing. Then, we find a cycle whose quality is comparable to the best tree cycle. This final cycle query step involves vertex and edge sparsification procedures reminiscent of previous works, but crucially requires a more powerful dynamic spanner which can handle far more edge insertions. We build such a spanner via a construction that hearkens back to the classic greedy spanner algorithm.

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arXiv2023

A Dynamic Shortest Paths Toolbox: Low-Congestion Vertex Sparsifiers and their Applications

We present a general toolbox, based on new vertex sparsifiers, for designing data structures to maintain shortest paths in dynamic graphs. In an $m$-edge graph undergoing edge insertions and deletions, our data structures give the first algorithms for maintaining (a) $m^{o(1)}$-approximate all-pairs shortest paths (APSP) with \emph{worst-case} update time $m^{o(1)}$ and query time $\tilde{O}(1)$, and (b) a tree $T$ that has diameter no larger than a subpolynomial factor times the diameter of the underlying graph, where each update is handled in amortized subpolynomial time. In graphs undergoing only edge deletions, we develop a simpler and more efficient data structure to maintain a $(1+ε)$-approximate single-source shortest paths (SSSP) tree $T$ in a graph undergoing edge deletions in amortized time $m^{o(1)}$ per update. Our data structures are deterministic. The trees we can maintain are not subgraphs of $G$, but embed with small edge congestion into $G$. This is in stark contrast to previous approaches and is useful for algorithms that internally use trees to route flow. To illustrate the power of our new toolbox, we show that our SSSP data structure gives simple deterministic implementations of flow-routing MWU methods in several contexts, where previously only randomized methods had been known. To obtain our toolbox, we give the first algorithm that, given a graph $G$ undergoing edge insertions and deletions and a dynamic terminal set $A$, maintains a vertex sparsifier $H$ that approximately preserves distances between terminals in $A$, consists of at most $|A|m^{o(1)}$ vertices and edges, and can be updated in worst-case time $m^{o(1)}$. Crucially, our vertex sparsifier construction allows us to maintain a low edge-congestion embedding of $H$ into $G$, which is needed for our applications.

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