Exact algorithms for finding longest cycles in claw-free graphs

Hajo Broersma, Fedor V. Fomin, Pim van 't Hof and Daniël Paulusma

Algorithmica, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 129-145, 2013.
[DOI][Preprint]

A preliminary version of this paper, entitled "Fast exact algorithms for hamiltonicity in claw-free graphs", appeared in the proceedings of WG 2009, the 35th International Workshop on Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science (held on 24-26 June, 2009 in Montpellier, France), Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 5911, pp. 44-53, 2009.
[DOI] [Photos] [David Eppstein mentions my talk about another paper in his blog]


Abstract:

The Hamiltonian Cycle problem is the problem of deciding whether an n-vertex graph G has a cycle passing through all vertices of G. This problem is a classic NP-complete problem. Finding an exact algorithm that solves it in O*n) time for some constant α<2 was a notorious open problem until very recently, when Björklund presented a randomized algorithm that uses O*(1.657n) time and polynomial space. The Longest Cycle problem, in which the task is to find a cycle of maximum length, is a natural generalization of the Hamiltonian Cycle problem. For a claw-free graph G, finding a longest cycle is equivalent to finding a closed trail (i.e., a connected even subgraph, possibly consisting of a single vertex) that dominates the largest number of edges of some associated graph H. Using this translation we obtain two exact algorithms that solve the Longest Cycle problem, and consequently the Hamiltonian Cycle problem, for claw-free graphs: one algorithm that uses O*(1.6818n) time and exponential space, and one algorithm that uses O*(1.8878n) time and polynomial space.