Characterizations and Complexity of Minimum Forward and Integer Cycle Bases

📅 2026-09-02
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本文研究了有向图中最小前向和整数循环基的存在性、结构及计算复杂性,并提出了一种检查图是否为opt-in的算法。
📝 Abstract
The cycle space of a directed graph is generated by a cycle basis, where, in general, cycles are allowed to have both forward and backward arcs. In a forward cycle, all arcs must follow the given direction. Several open questions remain regarding the complexity of the minimum cycle basis problem, in particular the minimum-weight integral cycle basis problem, and the minimum-weight weakly and strictly fundamental forward cycle basis problems. In this paper, we address these open questions. First, we study the existence, structure, and computational complexity of minimum-weight forward cycle bases. We give a complete structural characterization of digraphs that admit weakly fundamental (and hence integral) forward cycle bases. We further provide a characterization when a strongly connected digraph admits a forward fundamental cycle basis, proving that such a basis exists if and only if the set of directed cycles has cardinality equal to the cycle rank; in this case, the basis is unique. Lastly, we show that while minimum-weight forward fundamental cycle bases can be found in polynomial time whenever they exist, the minimum-weight forward weakly fundamental cycle basis problem is APX-hard via an L-reduction from the minimum-weight weakly fundamental cycle basis problem on digraphs with metric weights. Second, we introduce opt-in graphs, i.e., the family of graphs for which minimum cycle bases are integral for any weight function. We show that this family is minor-closed and hence, by the Robertson-Seymour theorem, is characterized by a finite set of forbidden minors, so that the opt-in recognition problem is solvable in polynomial time. Lastly, we present an algorithm to check whether a graph is opt-in, and if not, to identify which of its minors belong to the set of forbidden minors. Applying this algorithm, we show that the complete graph $K_n$ is opt-in if and only if $n \leq 7$.
Problem

Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.

minimum cycle basis
forward cycle
integral cycle basis
complexity
directed graph
Innovation

Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.

forward cycle basis
integral cycle basis
opt-in graphs
polynomial time algorithm
forbidden minors
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G
Gabor Riccardi
Dipartimento di Matematica “F. Casorati”, University of Pavia, Via Adolfo Ferrata, 5, 27100, Pavia, Italy
N
Niels Lindner
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, c/o Zuse Institute Berlin, Takustr. 7, 14195, Berlin, Germany