Finding Long Directed Cycles Is Hard Even When DFVS Is Small or Girth Is Large

Ashwin Jacob, Michał Włodarczyk, Meirav Zehavi

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

We study the parameterized complexity of two classic problems on directed graphs: Hamiltonian Cycle and its generalization Longest Cycle. Since 2008, it is known that Hamiltonian Cycle is W[1]-hard when parameterized by directed treewidth [Lampis et al., ISSAC’08]. By now, the question of whether it is FPT parameterized by the directed feedback vertex set (DFVS) number has become a longstanding open problem. In particular, the DFVS number is the largest natural directed width measure studied in the literature. In this paper, we provide a negative answer to the question, showing that even for the DFVS number, the problem remains W[1]-hard. As a consequence, we also obtain that Longest Cycle is W[1]-hard on directed graphs when parameterized multiplicatively above girth, in contrast to the undirected case. This resolves an open question posed by Fomin et al. [ACM ToCT’21] and Gutin and Mnich [arXiv:2207.12278]. Our hardness results apply to the path versions of the problems as well. On the positive side, we show that Longest Path parameterized multiplicatively above girth belongs to the class XP.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication31st Annual European Symposium on Algorithms, ESA 2023
EditorsInge Li Gortz, Martin Farach-Colton, Simon J. Puglisi, Grzegorz Herman
PublisherSchloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing
ISBN (Electronic)9783959772952
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Sep 2023
Event31st Annual European Symposium on Algorithms, ESA 2023 - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Duration: 4 Sep 20236 Sep 2023

Publication series

NameLeibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs
Volume274
ISSN (Print)1868-8969

Conference

Conference31st Annual European Symposium on Algorithms, ESA 2023
Country/TerritoryNetherlands
CityAmsterdam
Period4/09/236/09/23

Keywords

  • Hamiltonian cycle
  • directed feedback vertex set
  • directed graphs
  • longest path
  • parameterized complexity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Software

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