Support cones and convexity of sets in

We discuss several metric characterizations of convexity of sets in non-smooth finite-dimensional Banach spaces. We describe a setting in which convexity is equivalent to the rotation-invariance of various properties, including almost convexity, radial continuity of the metric projection, and Chebyshevity. One of the tools used is a generalization of norm-smoothness which involves support cones of the unit ball.

     

A polyhedron with alls—t cuts as vertices,and adjacency of cuts

Consider the polyhedron represented by the dual of the LP formulation of the maximums–t flow problem. It is well known that the vertices of this polyhedron are integral, and can be viewed ass–t cuts in the given graph. In this paper we show that not alls–t cuts appear as vertices, and we give a characterization. We also characterize pairs of cuts that form edges of this polyhedron. Finally, we show a set of inequalities such that the corresponding polyhedron has as its vertices alls–t cuts.Work done at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India.     

The node-edge weighted 2-edge connected subgraph problem: Linear relaxation, facets and separation

Let G=(V,E) be a undirected k-edge connected graph with weights c_e on edges and w_v on nodes. The minimum 2-edge connected subgraph problem, 2ECSP for short, is to find a 2-edge connected subgraph of G, of minimum total weight. The 2ECSP generalizes the well-known Steiner 2-edge connected subgraph problem. In this paper we study the convex hull of the incidence vectors corresponding to feasible solutions of 2ECSP. First, a natural integer programming formulation is given and it is shown that its linear relaxation is not sufficient to describe the polytope associated with 2ECSP even when G is series-parallel. Then, we introduce two families of new valid inequalities and we give sufficient conditions for them to be facet-defining. Later, we concentrate on the separation problem. We find polynomial time algorithms to solve the separation of important subclasses of the introduced inequalities, concluding that the separation of the new inequalities, when G is series-parallel, is polynomially solvable.     

Characterization of subdual latticial cones in Hilbert spaces by the isotonicity of the metric projection

The subdual latticial cones in Hilbert spaces are characterized by the isotonicity of a generalization of the positive part mapping which can be expressed in terms of the metric projection only. Although Németh characterized the positive cone of Hilbert lattices with the metric projection and ordering only [A.B. Németh, Characterization of a Hilbert vector lattice by the metric projection onto its positive cone, J. Approx. Theory 123 (2) (2003), pp. 295–299.], this has been done for the first time for subdual latticial cones in this article. We also note that the normal generating pointed closed convex cones for which the projection onto the cone is isotone are subdual latticial cones, but there are subdual latticial cones for which the metric projection onto the cone is not isotone [G. Isac, A.B. Németh, Monotonicity of metric projections onto positive cones of ordered Euclidean spaces, Arch. Math. 46 (6) (1986), pp. 568–576; G. Isac, A.B. Néemeth, Every generating isotone projection cone is latticial and correct, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 147 (1) (1990), pp. 53–62; G. Isac, A.B. Németh, Isotone projection cones in Hilbert spaces and the complementarity problem, Boll. Un. Mat. Ital. B 7 (4) (1990), pp. 773–802; G. Isac, A.B. Németh, Projection methods, isotone projection cones, and the complementarity problem, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 153 (1) (1990), pp. 258–275; G. Isac, A.B. Németh, Isotone projection cones in Eucliden spaces, Ann. Sci. Math Québec 16 (1) (1992), pp. 35–52].     

On the combinatorial structure of chromatic scheduling polytopes

Chromatic scheduling polytopes arise as solution sets of the bandwidth allocation problem in certain radio access networks, supplying wireless access to voice/data communication networks for customers with individual communication demands. To maintain the links, only frequencies from a certain spectrum can be used, which typically causes capacity problems. Hence it is necessary to reuse frequencies but no interference must be caused by this reuse. This leads to the bandwidth allocation problem, a special case of so-called chromatic scheduling problems. Both problems are NP-hard, and there do not even exist polynomial time algorithms with a fixed quality guarantee.As algorithms based on cutting planes have shown to be successful for many other combinatorial optimization problems, the goal is to apply such methods to the bandwidth allocation problem. For that, knowledge on the associated polytopes is required. The present paper contributes to this issue, exploring the combinatorial structure of chromatic scheduling polytopes for increasing frequency spans. We observe that the polytopes pass through various stages—emptyness, non-emptyness but low-dimensionality, full-dimensionality but combinatorial instability, and combinatorial stability—as the frequency span increases. We discuss the thresholds for this increasing “quantity” giving rise to a new combinatorial “quality” of the polytopes, and we prove bounds on these thresholds. In particular, we prove combinatorial equivalence of chromatic scheduling polytopes for large frequency spans and we establish relations to the linear ordering polytope.     

The cone of quasi-semimetrics and exponent matrices of tiled orders

Finite quasi semimetrics on n can be thought of as nonnegative valuations on the edges of a complete directed graph on n vertices satisfying all possible triangle inequalities. They comprise a polyhedral cone whose symmetry groups were studied for small n by Deza, Dutour and Panteleeva. We show that the symmetry and combinatorial symmetry groups are as they conjectured.Integral quasi semimetrics have a special place in the theory of tiled orders, being known as exponent matrices, and can be viewed as monoids under componentwise maximum; we provide a novel derivation of the automorphism group of that monoid. Some of these results follow from more general consideration of polyhedral cones that are closed under componentwise maximum.     

On packing and covering polyhedra of consecutive ones circulant clutters

Building on work by G. Cornuéjols and B. Novick and by L. Trotter, we give different characterizations of contractions of consecutive ones circulant clutters that give back consecutive ones circulant clutters. Based on a recent result by G. Argiroffo and S. Bianchi, we then arrive at characterizations of the vertices of the fractional set covering polyhedron of these clutters. We obtain similar characterizations for the fractional set packing polyhedron using a result by F.B. Shepherd, and relate our findings with similar ones obtained by A. Wagler for the clique relaxation of the stable set polytope of webs. Finally, we show how our results can be used to obtain some old and new results on the corresponding fractional set covering polyhedron using properties of Farey series. Our results do not depend on Lehman’s work or blocker/antiblocker duality, as is traditional in the field.     

Chromatic scheduling polytopes coming from the bandwidth allocation problem in point-to-multipoint radio access systems

Point-to-Multipoint systems are a kind of radio systems supplying wireless access to voice/data communication networks. Such systems have to be run using a certain frequency spectrum, which typically causes capacity problems. Hence it is, on the one hand, necessary to reuse frequencies but, on the other hand, no interference must be caused thereby. This leads to a combinatorial optimization problem, the bandwidth allocation problem, a special case of so-called chromatic scheduling problems. Both problems are NP-hard and it is known that, for these problems, there exist no polynomial time algorithms with a fixed approximation ratio. Algorithms based on cutting planes have shown to be successful for many other combinatorial optimization problems. In order to apply such methods, knowledge on the associated polytopes is required. The present paper contributes to this issue, exploring basic properties of chromatic scheduling polytopes and several classes of facet-defining inequalities. J. L. Marenco: This work supported by UBACYT Grant X036, CONICET Grant 644/98 and ANPCYT Grant 11-09112. A. K. Wagler: This work supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Gr 883/9–1).     

On the metric dimension of HDN

The concept of metric basis is useful for robot navigation. In graph G, a robot is aware of its current location by sending signals to obtain the distances between itself and the landmarks in G. Its position is determined uniquely in G if it knows its distances to sufficiently many landmarks. The metric basis of G is defined as the minimum set of landmarks such that all other vertices in G can be uniquely determined and the metric dimension of G is defined as the cardinality of the minimum set of landmarks. The major contribution of this paper is that we have partly solved the open problem proposed by Manuel et al. [9], by proving that the metric dimension of $\text{HDN1}(n)$ and $\text{HDN2}(n)$ are either 3 or 4. However, the problem of finding the exact metric dimension of HDN networks is still open.     

Notes on “Ideal 0, 1 matrices” by Cornuéjols and Novick

In 1994, Cornuéjols and Novick published a classification of ideal and minimally non-ideal circulant clutters. One of their main results for doing so relates contractions of these clutters, simple directed cycles in an appropriate graph, and algebraic conditions. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to correct a small inaccuracy of the necessity of the algebraic conditions in the original proof, and to show that these algebraic conditions are actually sufficient, by giving a constructive proof of the existence of cycles.     

Facet-inducing web and antiweb inequalities for the graph coloring polytope

For a graph G and its complement , we define the graph coloring polytope P(G) to be the convex hull of the incidence vectors of star partitions of . We examine inequalities whose support graphs are webs and antiwebs appearing as induced subgraphs in G. We show that for an antiweb in G the corresponding inequality is facet-inducing for P(G) if and only if is critical with respect to vertex colorings. An analogous result is also proved for the web inequalities.     

A note on the relationship between the graphical traveling salesman polyhedron, the Symmetric Traveling Salesman Polytope, and the metric cone

In this short communication, we observe that the Graphical Traveling Salesman Polyhedron is the intersection of the positive orthant with the Minkowski sum of the Symmetric Traveling Salesman Polytope and the polar of the metric cone. This follows almost trivially from known facts. There are nonetheless two reasons why we find this observation worth communicating: It is very surprising; it helps us understand the relationship between these two important families of polyhedra.     

The metric dimension of Cayley digraphs

A vertex x in a digraph D is said to resolve a pair u, v of vertices of D if the distance from u to x does not equal the distance from v to x. A set S of vertices of D is a resolving set for D if every pair of vertices of D is resolved by some vertex of S. The smallest cardinality of a resolving set for D, denoted by dim(D), is called the metric dimension for D. Sharp upper and lower bounds for the metric dimension of the Cayley digraphs Cay(Δ:Γ), where Γ is the group Z_n1⊕Z_n2⊕?⊕Z_nm and Δ is the canonical set of generators, are established. The exact value for the metric dimension of Cay({(0,1),(1,0)}:Z_n⊕Z_m) is found. Moreover, the metric dimension of the Cayley digraph of the dihedral group D_n of order 2n with a minimum set of generators is established. The metric dimension of a (di)graph is formulated as an integer programme. The corresponding linear programming formulation naturally gives rise to a fractional version of the metric dimension of a (di)graph. The fractional dual implies an integer dual for the metric dimension of a (di)graph which is referred to as the metric independence of the (di)graph. The metric independence of a (di)graph is the maximum number of pairs of vertices such that no two pairs are resolved by the same vertex. The metric independence of the n-cube and the Cayley digraph Cay(Δ:D_n), where Δ is a minimum set of generators for D_n, are established.     

New valid inequalities for the fixed-charge and single-node flow polytopes

The most effective software packages for solving mixed 0–1linear programs use strong valid linear inequalities derived from polyhedral theory. We introduce a new procedure which enables one to take known valid inequalities for the knapsack polytope, and convert them into valid inequalities for the fixed-charge and single-node flow polytopes. The resulting inequalities are very different from the previously known inequalities (such as flow cover and flow pack inequalities), and define facets under certain conditions.     

Facets of the polytope of the asymmetric travelling salesman problem with replenishment arcs

The Asymmetric Travelling Salesman Problem with Replenishment Arcs (RATSP) is a new class of problems arising from work related to aircraft routing. Given a digraph with cost on the arcs, a solution of the RATSP, like that of the Asymmetric Travelling Salesman Problem, induces a directed tour in the graph which minimises total cost. However the tour must satisfy additional constraints: the arc set is partitioned into replenishment arcs and ordinary arcs, each node has a non-negative weight associated with it, and the tour cannot accumulate more than some weight limit before a replenishment arc must be used. To enforce this requirement, constraints are needed. We refer to these as replenishment constraints.In this paper, we review previous polyhedral results for the RATSP and related problems, then prove that two classes of constraints developed in V. Mak and N. Boland [Polyhedral results and exact algorithms for the asymmetric travelling salesman problem with replenishment arcs, Technical Report TR M05/03, School of Information Technology, Deakin University, 2005] are, under appropriate conditions, facet-defining for the RATS polytope.     

Facets of the clique partitioning polytope

A subsetA of the edge set of a graphG = (V, E) is called a clique partitioning ofG is there is a partition of the node setV into disjoint setsW ¹,,W ^k such that eachW _i induces a clique, i.e., a complete (but not necessarily maximal) subgraph ofG, and such thatA = _i=1 ^k 1{uv|u, v W _i ,u v}. Given weightsw ^e for alle E, the clique partitioning problem is to find a clique partitioningA ofG such that _eA w _e is as small as possible. This problem—known to be-hard, see Wakabayashi (1986)—comes up, for instance, in data analysis, and here, the underlying graphG is typically a complete graph. In this paper we study the clique partitioning polytope of the complete graphK _n , i.e., is the convex hull of the incidence vectors of the clique partitionings ofK _n . We show that triangles, 2-chorded odd cycles, 2-chorded even wheels and other subgraphs ofK _n induce facets of. The theoretical results described here have been used to design an (empirically) efficient cutting plane algorithm with which large (real-world) instances of the clique partitioning problem could be solved. These computational results can be found in Grötschel and Wakabayashi (1989).     

Relating single-scenario facets to the convex hull of the extensive form of a stochastic single-node flow polytope

We study when a facet-defining inequality for a deterministic, single-scenario subproblem is also facet-defining for the extensive form of a two-stage stochastic mixed-integer linear program (SMIP). To answer this question, we introduce a novel stochastic variant of the well-known single-node flow (SNF) polytope, and present necessary and sufficient conditions for single-scenario facet-defining inequalities to be facet-defining for the extensive form. We further demonstrate that our stochastic SNF polytope is a relaxation of a broad subclass of SMIPs, illustrating its generality.