arXiv subjects

N. Sadagopan

Publications and source records attributed to N. Sadagopan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

On the Complexity of Connected $(s,t)$-Vertex Separator

We show that minimum connected $(s,t)$-vertex separator ($(s,t)$-CVS) is $Ω(log^{2-ε}n)$-hard for any $ε>0$ unless NP has quasi-polynomial Las-Vegas algorithms. i.e., for any $ε>0$ and for some $δ>0$, $(s,t)$-CVS is unlikely to have $δ.log^{2-ε}n$-approximation algorithm. We show that $(s,t)$-CVS is NP-complete on graphs with chordality at least 5 and present a polynomial-time algorithm for $(s,t)$-CVS on bipartite chordality 4 graphs. We also present a $\lceil\frac{c}{2}\rceil$-approximation algorithm for $(s,t)$-CVS on graphs with chordality $c$. Finally, from the parameterized setting, we show that $(s,t)$-CVS parameterized above the $(s,t)$-vertex connectivity is $W[2]$-hard.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2021

Steiner Tree in $k$-star Caterpillar Convex Bipartite Graphs -- A Dichotomy

The class of $k$-star caterpillar convex bipartite graphs generalizes the class of convex bipartite graphs. For a bipartite graph with partitions $X$ and $Y$, we associate a $k$-star caterpillar on $X$ such that for each vertex in $Y$, its neighborhood induces a tree. The $k$-star caterpillar on $X$ is imaginary and if the imaginary structure is a path ($0$-star caterpillar), then it is the class of convex bipartite graphs. The minimum Steiner tree problem (STREE) is defined as follows: given a connected graph $G=(V,E)$ and a subset of vertices $R \subseteq V(G)$, the objective is to find a minimum cardinality set $S \subseteq V(G)$ such that the set $R \cup S$ induces a connected subgraph. STREE is known to be NP-complete on general graphs as well as for special graph classes such as chordal graphs, bipartite graphs, and chordal bipartite graphs. The complexity of STREE in convex bipartite graphs, which is a popular subclass of chordal bipartite graphs, is open. In this paper, we introduce $k$-star caterpillar convex bipartite graphs, and show that STREE is NP-complete for $1$-star caterpillar convex bipartite graphs and polynomial-time solvable for $0$-star caterpillar convex bipartite graphs (also known as convex bipartite graphs). In \cite{muller1987np}, it is shown that STREE in chordal bipartite graphs is NP-complete. A close look at the reduction instances reveal that the instances are $3$-star caterpillar convex bipartite graphs, and in this paper, we strengthen the result of \cite{muller1987np}.

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arXiv2021

Hamiltonicity: Variants and Generalization in $P_5$-free Chordal Bipartite graphs

A bipartite graph is chordal bipartite if every cycle of length at least six has a chord in it. M$\ddot{\rm u}$ller \cite {muller1996Hamiltonian} has shown that the Hamiltonian cycle problem is NP-complete on chordal bipartite graphs by presenting a polynomial-time reduction from the satisfiability problem. The microscopic view of the reduction instances reveals that the instances are $P_9$-free chordal bipartite graphs, and hence the status of Hamiltonicity in $P_8$-free chordal bipartite graphs is open. In this paper, we identify the first non-trivial subclass of $P_8$-free chordal bipartite graphs which is $P_5$-free chordal bipartite graphs, and present structural and algorithmic results on $P_5$-free chordal bipartite graphs. We investigate the structure of $P_5$-free chordal bipartite graphs and show that these graphs have a {\em Nested Neighborhood Ordering (NNO)}, a special ordering among its vertices. Further, using this ordering, we present polynomial-time algorithms for classical problems such as the Hamiltonian cycle (path), also the variants and generalizations of the Hamiltonian cycle (path) problem. We also obtain polynomial-time algorithms for treewidth (pathwidth), and minimum fill-in in $P_5$-free chordal bipartite graph. We also present some results on complement graphs of $P_5$-free chordal bipartite graphs.

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arXiv2020

The Hamiltonian Cycle in $K_{1,r}$-free Split Graphs -- A Dichotomy

In this paper, we investigate the well-studied Hamiltonian cycle problem (HCYCLE), and present an interesting dichotomy result on split graphs. T. Akiyama et al. (1980) have shown that HCYCLE is NP-complete in planar bipartite graphs with maximum degree $3$. Using this reduction, we show that HCYCLE is NP-complete in split graphs. In particular, we show that the problem is NP-complete in $K_{1,5}$-free split graphs. Further, we present polynomial-time algorithms for Hamiltonian cycle in $K_{1,3}$-free and $K_{1,4}$-free split graphs. We believe that the structural results presented in this paper can be used to show similar dichotomy result for Hamiltonian path problem (HPATH) and other variants of HCYCLE.

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arXiv2018

Hamiltonicity in Convex Bipartite Graphs

For a connected graph, the Hamiltonian cycle (path) is a simple cycle (path) that spans all the vertices in the graph. It is known from \cite{muller,garey} that HAMILTONIAN CYCLE (PATH) are NP-complete in general graphs and chordal bipartite graphs. A convex bipartite graph $G$ with bipartition $(X,Y)$ and an ordering $X=(x_1,\ldots,x_n)$, is a bipartite graph such that for each $y \in Y$, the neighborhood of $y$ in $X$ appears consecutively. $G$ is said to have convexity with respect to $X$. Further, convex bipartite graphs are a subclass of chordal bipartite graphs. In this paper, we present a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a Hamiltonian cycle in convex bipartite graphs and further we obtain a linear-time algorithm for this graph class. We also show that Chvatal's necessary condition is sufficient for convex bipartite graphs. The closely related problem is HAMILTONIAN PATH whose complexity is open in convex bipartite graphs. We classify the class of convex bipartite graphs as {\em monotone} and {\em non-monotone} graphs. For monotone convex bipartite graphs, we present a linear-time algorithm to output a Hamiltonian path. We believe that these results can be used to obtain algorithms for Hamiltonian path problem in non-monotone convex bipartite graphs. It is important to highlight (a) in \cite{keil,esha}, it is incorrectly claimed that Hamiltonian path problem in convex bipartite graphs is polynomial-time solvable by referring to \cite{muller} which actually discusses Hamiltonian cycle (b) the algorithm appeared in \cite{esha} for the longest path problem (Hamiltonian path problem) in biconvex and convex bipartite graphs have an error and it does not compute an optimum solution always. We present an infinite set of counterexamples in support of our claim.

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arXiv2018

On Some Combinatorial Problems in Cographs

The family of graphs that can be constructed from isolated vertices by disjoint union and graph join operations are called cographs. These graphs can be represented in a tree-like representation termed parse tree or cotree. In this paper, we study some popular combinatorial problems restricted to cographs. We first present a structural characterization of minimal vertex separators in cographs. Further, we show that listing all minimal vertex separators and the complexity of some constrained vertex separators are polynomial-time solvable in cographs. We propose polynomial-time algorithms for connectivity augmentation problems and its variants in cographs, preserving the cograph property. Finally, using the dynamic programming paradigm, we present a generic framework to solve classical optimization problems such as the longest path, the Steiner path and the minimum leaf spanning tree problems restricted to cographs, our framework yields polynomial-time algorithms for all three problems.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2017

Hamiltonian Path in Split Graphs- a Dichotomy

In this paper, we investigate Hamiltonian path problem in the context of split graphs, and produce a dichotomy result on the complexity of the problem. Our main result is a deep investigation of the structure of $K_{1,4}$-free split graphs in the context of Hamiltonian path problem, and as a consequence, we obtain a polynomial-time algorithm to the Hamiltonian path problem in $K_{1,4}$-free split graphs. We close this paper with the hardness result: we show that, unless P=NP, Hamiltonian path problem is NP-complete in $K_{1,5}$-free split graphs by reducing from Hamiltonian cycle problem in $K_{1,5}$-free split graphs. Thus this paper establishes a "thin complexity line" separating NP-complete instances and polynomial-time solvable instances.

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arXiv2017

FO and MSO approach to Some Graph Problems: Approximation and Poly time Results

The focus of this paper is two fold. Firstly, we present a logical approach to graph modification problems such as minimum node deletion, edge deletion, edge augmentation problems by expressing them as an expression in first order (FO) logic. As a consequence, it follows that these problems have constant factor polynomial-time approximation algorithms. In particular, node deletion/edge deletion on a graph $G$ whose resultant is cograph, split, threshold, comparable, interval and permutation are $O(1)$ approximable. Secondly, we present a monadic second order (MSO) logic to minimum graph modification problems, minimum dominating set problem and minimum coloring problem and their variants. As a consequence, it follows that these problems have linear-time algorithms on bounded tree-width graphs. In particular, we show the existance of linear-time algorithms on bounded tree-width graphs for star coloring, cd-coloring, rainbow coloring, equitable coloring, total dominating set, connected dominating set. In a nut shell, this paper presents a unified framework and an algorithmic scheme through logical expressions for some graph problems through FO and MSO.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2017

On strictly Chordality-k graphs

Strictly Chordality-k graphs (SC_k graphs) are graphs which are either cycle free or every induced cycle is exactly k, for some fixed k, k \geq 3. Note that k = 3 and k = 4 are precisely the Chordal graphs and Chordal Bipartite graphs, respectively. In this paper, we initiate a structural and an algorithmic study of SCk, k \geq 5 graphs.

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arXiv2016

Constrained Hitting Set and Steiner Tree in $SC_k$ and $2K_2$-free Graphs

\emph{Strictly Chordality-$k$ graphs ($SC_k$)} are graphs which are either cycle-free or every induced cycle is of length exactly $k, k \geq 3$. Strictly chordality-3 and strictly chordality-4 graphs are well known chordal and chordal bipartite graphs, respectively. For $k\geq 5$, the study has been recently initiated in \cite{sadagopan} and various structural and algorithmic results are reported. In this paper, we show that maximum independent set (MIS), minimum vertex cover, minimum dominating set, feedback vertex set (FVS), odd cycle transversal (OCT), even cycle transversal (ECT) and Steiner tree problem are polynomial time solvable on $SC_k$ graphs, $k\geq 5$. We next consider $2K_2$-free graphs and show that FVS, OCT, ECT, Steiner tree problem are polynomial time solvable on subclasses of $2K_2$-free graphs.

math.CO↗

arXiv2016

R-connectivity Augmentation in Trees

A \emph{vertex separator} of a connected graph $G$ is a set of vertices removing which will result in two or more connected components and a \emph{minimum vertex separator} is a set which contains the minimum number of such vertices, i.e., the cardinality of this set is least among all possible vertex separator sets. The cardinality of the minimum vertex separator refers to the connectivity of the graph G. A connected graph is said to be $k-connected$ if removing exactly $k$ vertices, $ k\geq 1$, from the graph, will result in two or more connected components and on removing any $(k-1)$ vertices, the graph is still connected. A \emph{connectivity augmentation} set is a set of edges which when augmented to a $k$-connected graph $G$ will increase the connectivity of $G$ by $r$, $r \geq 1$, making the graph $(k+r)$-$connected$ and a \emph{minimum connectivity augmentation} set is such a set which contains a minimum number of edges required to increase the connectivity by $r$. In this paper, we shall investigate a $r$-$connectivity$ augmentation in trees, $r \geq 2$. As part of lower bound study, we show that any minimum $r$-connectivity augmentation set in trees requires at least $ \lceil\frac{1}{2} \sum\limits_{i=1}^{r-1} (r-i) \times l_{i} \rceil $ edges, where $l_i$ is the number of vertices with degree $i$. Further, we shall present an algorithm that will augment a minimum number of edges to make a tree $(k+r)$-connected.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2016

Listing All Spanning Trees in Halin Graphs - Sequential and Parallel view

For a connected labelled graph $G$, a {\em spanning tree} $T$ is a connected and an acyclic subgraph that spans all vertices of $G$. In this paper, we consider a classical combinatorial problem which is to list all spanning trees of $G$. A Halin graph is a graph obtained from a tree with no degree two vertices and by joining all leaves with a cycle. We present a sequential and parallel algorithm to enumerate all spanning trees in Halin graphs. Our approach enumerates without repetitions and we make use of $O((2pd)^{p})$ processors for parallel algorithmics, where $d$ and $p$ are the depth, the number of leaves, respectively, of the Halin graph. We also prove that the number of spanning trees in Halin graphs is $O((2pd)^{p})$.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2016

2-Trees: Structural Insights and the study of Hamiltonian Paths

For a connected graph, a path containing all vertices is known as \emph{Hamiltonian path}. For general graphs, there is no known necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of Hamiltonian paths and the complexity of finding a Hamiltonian path in general graphs is NP-Complete. We present a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of Hamiltonian paths in 2-trees. Using our characterization, we also present a linear-time algorithm for the existence of Hamiltonian paths in 2-trees. Our characterization is based on a deep understanding of the structure of 2-trees and the combinatorics presented here may be used in other combinatorial problems restricted to 2-trees.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2016

Spanning Trees in 2-trees

A spanning tree of a graph $G$ is a connected acyclic spanning subgraph of $G$. We consider enumeration of spanning trees when $G$ is a $2$-tree, meaning that $G$ is obtained from one edge by iteratively adding a vertex whose neighborhood consists of two adjacent vertices. We use this construction order both to inductively list the spanning trees without repetition and to give bounds on the number of them. We determine the $n$-vertex $2$-trees having the most and the fewest spanning trees. The $2$-tree with the fewest is unique; it has $n-2$ vertices of degree $2$ and has $n2^{n-3}$ spanning trees. Those with the most are all those having exactly two vertices of degree $2$, and their number of spanning trees is the Fibonacci number $F_{2n-2}$.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2016

Complexity of Steiner Tree in Split Graphs - Dichotomy Results

Given a connected graph $G$ and a terminal set $R \subseteq V(G)$, {\em Steiner tree} asks for a tree that includes all of $R$ with at most $r$ edges for some integer $r \geq 0$. It is known from [ND12,Garey et. al \cite{steinernpc}] that Steiner tree is NP-complete in general graphs. {\em Split graph} is a graph which can be partitioned into a clique and an independent set. K. White et. al \cite{white} has established that Steiner tree in split graphs is NP-complete. In this paper, we present an interesting dichotomy: we show that Steiner tree on $K_{1,4}$-free split graphs is polynomial-time solvable, whereas, Steiner tree on $K_{1,5}$-free split graphs is NP-complete. We investigate $K_{1,4}$-free and $K_{1,3}$-free (also known as claw-free) split graphs from a structural perspective. Further, using our structural study, we present polynomial-time algorithms for Steiner tree in $K_{1,4}$-free and $K_{1,3}$-free split graphs. Although, polynomial-time solvability of $K_{1,3}$-free split graphs is implied from $K_{1,4}$-free split graphs, we wish to highlight our structural observations on $K_{1,3}$-free split graphs which may be used in other combinatorial problems.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2016

On 2K2-free graphs - Structural and Combinatorial View

A connected graph is 2K2-free if it does not contain a pair of independent edges as an induced subgraph. In this paper, we present the structural characterization of minimal vertex separator and show that there are polynomial number of minimal vertex separators in 2K2-free graphs. Further, using the enumeration we show that finding minimum connected vertex separator in 2K2-free graphs is polynomial time solvable. We highlight that finding minimum connected vertex separator is NP-complete in Chordality 5 graphs, which is a super graph class of 2K2-free graphs. Other study includes, enumeration of all distinct maximal independent sets and testing 2K2-free graphs. Also, we present an polynomial time algorithm for feedback vertex set problem in the subclass of 2K2-free graphs.

math.CO↗

arXiv2016

Tri-connectivity Augmentation in Trees

For a connected graph, a {\em minimum vertex separator} is a minimum set of vertices whose removal creates at least two connected components. The vertex connectivity of the graph refers to the size of the minimum vertex separator and a graph is $k$-vertex connected if its vertex connectivity is $k$, $k\geq 1$. Given a $k$-vertex connected graph $G$, the combinatorial problem {\em vertex connectivity augmentation} asks for a minimum number of edges whose augmentation to $G$ makes the resulting graph $(k+1)$-vertex connected. In this paper, we initiate the study of $r$-vertex connectivity augmentation whose objective is to find a $(k+r)$-vertex connected graph by augmenting a minimum number of edges to a $k$-vertex connected graph, $r \geq 1$. We shall investigate this question for the special case when $G$ is a tree and $r=2$. In particular, we present a polynomial-time algorithm to find a minimum set of edges whose augmentation to a tree makes it 3-vertex connected. Using lower bound arguments, we show that any tri-vertex connectivity augmentation of trees requires at least $\lceil \frac {2l_1+l_2}{2} \rceil$ edges, where $l_1$ and $l_2$ denote the number of degree one vertices and degree two vertices, respectively. Further, we establish that our algorithm indeed augments this number, thus yielding an optimum algorithm.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

On Uni Chord Free Graphs

A graph is unichord free if it does not contain a cycle with exactly one chord as its subgraph. In [3], it is shown that a graph is unichord free if and only if every minimal vertex separator is a stable set. In this paper, we first show that such a graph can be recognized in polynomial time. Further, we show that the chromatic number of unichord free graphs is one of (2,3, ω(G)). We also present a polynomial-time algorithm to produce a coloring with ω(G) colors.

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