Sampling Directed Eulerian Tours in $\widetilde O(m^{3/2})$ Time

2026-05-28

AI Summary

This work addresses the problem of efficiently sampling Eulerian circuits approximately uniformly from directed Eulerian multigraphs. For sparse graphs with $m$ arcs, the authors propose a randomized algorithm based on a novel local Markov chain called the “flip–repair walk,” which integrates a dynamic chord data structure with a degree-reduction framework. This approach overcomes the $O(mn)$ time bottleneck inherent in classical arborescence-based sampling methods. The algorithm achieves a worst-case time complexity of $\widetilde{O}(m^{3/2})$, significantly improving upon existing techniques. Approximate uniformity of the sampling distribution is rigorously guaranteed through a hybrid analysis combining switch-network reductions and linear-algebraic arguments.

Abstract

We give a randomized algorithm that samples a nearly uniform Eulerian tour of a directed Eulerian multigraph with $m$ arcs in $\widetilde O(m^{3/2})$ time. The guarantee is worst-case, applies to arbitrary directed Eulerian multigraphs, and breaks the $mn$-type arborescence-sampling barrier on sparse graphs. The core case is a $2$-in/$2$-out graph. We introduce a new local Markov chain, the flip--repair walk: one step locally splits a tour into two circuits and then chooses uniformly among the local flips that repair the state to one tour. We prove that this walk mixes in nearly linear many steps and implement the walk using a dynamic chord data structure. A pointwise degree-reduction wrapper extends the sampler from this degree-two core to arbitrary degrees while preserving the $\widetilde O(m^{3/2})$ total running time. The high-level algorithmic plan, the switching-network reduction, and the dynamic data-structure argument were devised by the author. The author conjectured the mixing theorem underlying the analysis, and GPT 5.5 Pro Extended produced its linear-algebra proof. Codex assisted with manuscript assembly and typesetting.

Problem

• Eulerian tours
• directed graphs
• randomized sampling
• uniform sampling
• graph algorithms

Innovation

• Eulerian tour sampling
• Markov chain mixing
• dynamic data structures
• degree reduction
• randomized algorithms