On a proposed divide-and-conquer minimal spanning tree algorithm

In a recent paper published in this journal, R. Chang and R. Lee purport to devise anO(N logN) time minimal spanning tree algorithm forN points in the plane that is based on a divide-and-conquer strategy using Voronoi diagrams. In this brief note, we present families of problem instances to show that the Chang-Lee worst-case timing analysis is incorrect, resulting in a time bound ofO(N ² logN). Since it is known that alternate, trulyO(N logN) time algorithms are available anyway, the general utility of the Chang-Lee algorithm is questionable.This author's research is supported in part by the Washington State Technology Center and by the National Science Foundation under grants ECS-8403859 and MIP-8603879.     

On Shellsort and the frobenius problem

A boundO(N ^1+1/k ) for the running time of Shellsort, withO(logN) passes, is proved very simply by application of a Frobenius basis withk elements.     

On the modularity of supersingular elliptic curves over certain totally real number fields

We study generalisations to totally real fields of the methods originating with Wiles and Taylor and Wiles [A. Wiles, Modular elliptic curves and Fermat's Last Theorem, Ann. of Math. 141 (1995) 443-551; R. Taylor, A. Wiles, Ring-theoretic properties of certain Hecke algebras, Ann. of Math. 141 (1995) 553-572]. In view of the results of Skinner and Wiles [C. Skinner, A. Wiles, Nearly ordinary deformations of irreducible residual representations, Ann. Fac. Sci. Toulouse Math. (6) 10 (2001) 185-215] on elliptic curves with ordinary reduction, we focus here on the case of supersingular reduction. Combining these, we then obtain some partial results on the modularity problem for semistable elliptic curves, and end by giving some applications of our results, for example proving the modularity of all semistable elliptic curves over .     

On the invariance of male optimal stable matching

The stable matching problem is that of matching two sets of agents in such a manner that no two unmatched agents prefer each other to their actual partners under the matching. In this paper, we present a set of sufficient conditions on the preference lists of any given stable matching instance, under which the optimality of the original male optimal stable matching is still preserved.     

On the complexity of some arborescences finding problems on a multihop radio network

An arborescence of a multihop radio network is a directed spanning tree (with rootx) such that the edges are directed away from the root. Based upon an arborescence,x canbroadcast a message to other nodes according to the directed edges of the spanning tree. The minimum transmission power arborescence problem is to find an arborescence such that the message can be broadcasted to other nodes by using a minimal amount of transmission power. The minimum delay arborescence problem is to find an arborescence such that a message can be broadcasted to other nodes by using a minimal number of broadcast transmission. In this paper we show that both these problems areNP-complete. The reductions are from the maximum leaf spanning tree problem.Areverse arborescence is similar to an arborescence except that the edges are directed toward the root. Based upon a reverse arborescence, the root node cancollect information from other nodes. In this paper we also show that the reverse minimum transmission power arborescence problem can be solved with the same computational complexity as that of finding a minimum cost spanning tree, and the reverse minimum delay arborescence problem can be solved with the same computational complexity as that of finding a spanning tree.     

On the decomposability of the stable marriage problem

The idea of decomposability is applied to the stable marriage problem. The problem is said to be decomposable if all its stable solutions match the members of a subset of the men with the members of a subset of the woman and only with them. One necessary and three sufficient criteria for the decomposability are presented.This work has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC03-76SF00098.     

Parallel algorithms for permutation graphs

In this paper, parallel algorithms are presented for solving some problems on permutation graphs. The coloring problem is solved inO(log² n) time usingO(n ³/logn) processors on the CREW PRAM, orO(logn) time usingO(n ³) processors on the CRCW PRAM. The weighted clique problem, the weighted independent set problem, the cliques cover problem, and the maximal layers problem are all solved with the same complexities. We can also show that the longest common subsequence problem belongs to the class NC.     

The weighted maximum independent set problem in permutation graphs

In this paper, sequential and parallel algorithms are presented to find a maximum independent set with largest weight in a weighted permutation graph. The sequential algorithm, which is designed based on dynamic programming, runs in timeO(nlogn) and requiresO(n) space. The parallel algorithm runs inO(log² n) time usingO(n ³/logn) processors on the CREW PRAM, orO(logn) time usingO(n ³) processors on the CRCW PRAM.     

On the number of rational points of a plane algebraic curve

The number of F_q -rational points of a plane non-singular algebraic curve defined over a finite field F_q is computed, provided that the generic point of is not an inflexion and that is Frobenius non-classical with respect to conics. Received: 18 March 2003     

On the packing chromatic number of some lattices

For a positive integer k, a k-packing in a graph G is a subset A of vertices such that the distance between any two distinct vertices from A is more than k. The packing chromatic number of G is the smallest integer m such that the vertex set of G can be partitioned as V₁,V₂,…,V_m where V_i is an i-packing for each i. It is proved that the planar triangular lattice T and the three-dimensional integer lattice Z³ do not have finite packing chromatic numbers.     

On systolic arrays for updating the Cholesky factorization

We have considered the systolic implementation of several methods for updating the Cholesky factorization. For positive rank-k changes there are simple one-pass arrays that implement algorithms based on elimination and plane rotations. In the case of negative rank-one changes, we do not feel that the standard algorithm [2] has a practical implementation. We have introduced a new algorithm for the case of a negative rank-k change and provided an attractive two-pass systolic implementation.     

A tight upper bound for the number of intersections between two rectangular paths

The problem of finding the number of intersections between two geometric figures in the plane has been studied extensively in literature. In this paper, the geometric figure comprising a continuous rectilinear path (called rectangular path) is considered, and a tight (least) upper bound onI(P, Q), the number of intersections between two rectangular pathsP andQ, is given.Editors' Note: One of our referees has reported that the main result of this paper has recently been given independently by a Chinese researcher at the University of Science and Technology, Hefei, P. R. of China. His paper is under publication in the Chinese Science Bulletin. However, since this journal may not be easily accessible to our readers, and further the two papers are obviously independent of each other, theBIT Editors have decided to accept the present paper.     

On crossing numbers of hypercubes and cube connected cycles

We prove tight bounds for crossing numbers of hypercube and cube connected cycles (CCC) graphs.The research of both authors was supported by Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Bonn, Germany.     

On generation of permutations through decomposition of symmetric groups into cosets

A hardware-oriented algorithm for generating permutations is presented that takes as a theoretic base an iterative decomposition of the symmetric groupS _n into cosets. It generates permutations in a new order. Simple ranking and unranking algorithms are given. The construction of a permutation generator is proposed which contains a cellular permutation network as a main component. The application of the permutation generator for solving a class of combinatorial problems on parallel computers is suggested.     

On parallelizing a greedy heuristic for finding small dominant sets

We analyse a greedy heuristic for finding small dominating sets in graphs: bounds on the size of the dominating set so produced had previously been derived in terms of the size of a smallest dominating set and the number of vertices and edges in the graph, respectively, We show that computing the resulting small dominating set isP-hard and so cannot be done efficiently in parallel (in the context of the PRAM model of parallel computation). We also consider a related non-deterministic greedy heuristic.     

Perverse coherent sheaves and the geometry of special pieces in the unipotent variety

Let X be a scheme of finite type over a Noetherian base scheme S admitting a dualizing complex, and let U⊂X be an open set whose complement has codimension at least 2. We extend the Deligne-Bezrukavnikov theory of perverse coherent sheaves by showing that a coherent intermediate extension (or intersection cohomology) functor from perverse sheaves on U to perverse sheaves on X may be defined for a much broader class of perversities than has previously been known. We also introduce a derived category version of the coherent intermediate extension functor.Under suitable hypotheses, we introduce a construction (called “S₂-extension”) in terms of perverse coherent sheaves of algebras on X that takes a finite morphism to U and extends it in a canonical way to a finite morphism to X. In particular, this construction gives a canonical “S₂-ification” of appropriate X. The construction also has applications to the “Macaulayfication” problem, and it is particularly well-behaved when X is Gorenstein.Our main goal, however, is to address a conjecture of Lusztig on the geometry of special pieces (certain subvarieties of the unipotent variety of a reductive algebraic group). The conjecture asserts in part that each special piece is the quotient of some variety (previously unknown for the exceptional groups and in positive characteristic) by the action of a certain finite group. We use S₂-extension to give a uniform construction of the desired variety.     

Minimizing the number of transitions with respect to observation equivalence

Labeled transition systems (lts) provide an operational semantics for many specification languages. In order to abstract unrelevant details of lts's, manybehavioural equivalences have been defined; here observation equivalence is considered. We are interested in the following problem:Given a finite lts, which is the minimal observation equivalent lts corresponding to it? It is well known that the number of states of an lts can be minimized by applying arelational coarsest partition algorithm. However, the obtained lts is not unique (up to the renaming of the states): for an lts there may exist several observation equivalent lts's which have the minimal number of states but varying number of transitions. In this paper we show how the number of transitions can be minimized, obtaining a unique lts.     

On the spanning tree packing number of a graph: a survey

The spanning tree packing number or STP number of a graph G is the maximum number of edge-disjoint spanning trees contained in G. We use an observation of Paul Catlin to investigate the STP numbers of several families of graphs including quasi-random graphs, regular graphs, complete bipartite graphs, cartesian products and the hypercubes.