Simpler Sequential and Parallel Biconnectivity Augmentation in Trees

Abstract

For a connected graph, a vertex separator is a set of vertices whose removal creates at least two components and a minimum vertex separator is a vertex separator of least cardinality. The vertex connectivity refers to the size of a minimum vertex separator. For a connected graph G with vertex connectivity [Formula: see text], the connectivity augmentation refers to a set S of edges whose augmentation to G increases its vertex connectivity by one. A minimum connectivity augmentation of G is the one in which S is minimum. In this paper, we focus our attention on biconnectivity augmentation for trees. Towards this end, we present a new sequential algorithm for biconnectivity augmentation in trees by simplifying the algorithm reported in [1]. The simplicity is achieved with the help of edge contraction tool. This tool helps us in getting a recursive subproblem preserving all connectivity information. Subsequently, we present a parallel algorithm to obtain a minimum biconnectivity augmentation set in trees. Our parallel algorithm essentially follows the overall structure of sequential algorithm. Our implementation is based on CREW PRAM model with [Formula: see text] processors, where [Formula: see text] refers to the maximum degree of a tree. We also show that our parallel algorithm is optimal with a processor-time product of [Formula: see text] where n is the number of vertices of a tree.