stable set problem

Symmetry Presolving for Mixed-Integer Programs: Binary Structure Preservation and Relations to Orbital Branching

Categories Integer Programming Tags , , , ,

This paper investigates a presolving method for handling symmetries in mixed-integer programs, based on inequalities computed from so-called Schreier-Sims tables. We show that an iterative application of this method together with merging variables produces an instance for which the symmetry group is trivial. We then prove that the problem structure can be preserved for certain … Read more

Structure-Preserving Symmetry Presolving for Mixed-Binary Linear Problems

Categories (Mixed) Integer Linear Programming, 0-1 Programming Tags , ,

This paper investigates a presolving method for handling symmetries in mixed-binary programs, based on inequalities computed from so-called Schreier-Sims tables. We show that an iterative application of this method together with merging variables will produce an instance for which the symmetry group is trivial. We then prove that the problem structure can be preserved for … Read more

A Computational Search for Minimal Obstruction Graphs for the Lovász–Schrijver SDP Hierarchy

Categories Combinatorial Optimization, Semi-definite Programming Tags ,

We study the lift-and-project relaxations of the stable set polytope of graphs generated by \( \text{LS}_+ \), the SDP lift-and-project operator devised by Lovász and Schrijver. In particular, we focus on searching for \( \ell \)-minimal graphs, which are graphs on $3\ell$ vertices whose stable set polytope has rank \( \ell \) with respect to … Read more

Application of the Lovász-Schrijver Operator to Compact Stable Set Integer Programs

Categories 0-1 Programming, Combinatorial Optimization, Semi-definite Programming Tags , ,

The Lov\’asz theta function $\theta(G)$ provides a very good upper bound on the stability number of a graph $G$. It can be computed in polynomial time by solving a semidefinite program (SDP), which also turns out to be fairly tractable in practice. Consequently, $\theta(G)$ achieves a hard-to-beat trade-off between computational effort and strength of the … Read more

Stable Set Polytopes with High Lift-and-Project Ranks for the Lovász-Schrijver SDP Operator

Categories Combinatorial Optimization, Cutting Plane Approaches, Semi-definite Programming Tags , , , ,

We study the lift-and-project rank of the stable set polytopes of graphs with respect to the Lovász-Schrijver SDP operator \( \text{LS}_+\), with a particular focus on a search for relatively small graphs with high \( \text{LS}_+\)-rank (the least number of iterations of the \( \text{LS}_+\) operator on the fractional stable set polytope to compute the … Read more

Exactness of Parrilo’s conic approximations for copositive matrices and associated low order bounds for the stability number of a graph

Categories Approximation Algorithms, Semi-definite Programming Tags , , , , ,

De Klerk and Pasechnik (2002) introduced the bounds $\vartheta^{(r)}(G)$ ($r\in \mathbb{N}$) for the stability number $\alpha(G)$ of a graph $G$ and conjectured exactness at order $\alpha(G)-1$: $\vartheta^{(\alpha(G)-1)}(G)=\alpha(G)$. These bounds rely on the conic approximations $\mathcal{K}_n^{(r)}$ by Parrilo (2000) for the copositive cone $\text{COP}_n$. A difficulty in the convergence analysis of $\vartheta^{(r)}$ is the bad behaviour … Read more

Finite convergence of sum-of-squares hierarchies for the stability number of a graph

Categories Combinatorial Optimization, Linear, Cone and Semidefinite Programming Tags , , , , , , , , ,

We investigate a hierarchy of semidefinite bounds $\vartheta^{(r)}(G)$ for the stability number $\alpha(G)$ of a graph $G$, based on its copositive programming formulation and introduced by de Klerk and Pasechnik [SIAM J. Optim. 12 (2002), pp.875–892], who conjectured convergence to $\alpha(G)$ in $r=\alpha(G) -1$ steps. Even the weaker conjecture claiming finite convergence is still open. … Read more

The Stable Set Problem: Clique and Nodal Inequalities Revisited

Categories Combinatorial Optimization, Integer Programming Tags

The stable set problem is a fundamental combinatorial optimisation problem, that is known to be very difficult in both theory and practice. Some of the solution algorithms in the literature are based on 0-1 linear programming formulations. We examine an entire family of such formulations, based on so-called clique and nodal inequalities. As well as … Read more

On the Lovasz Theta Function and Some Variants

Categories Combinatorial Optimization, Semi-definite Programming Tags , ,

The Lovasz theta function of a graph is a well-known upper bound on the stability number. It can be computed efficiently by solving a semidefinite program (SDP). Actually, one can solve either of two SDPs, one due to Lovasz and the other to Groetschel et al. The former SDP is often thought to be preferable … Read more

Lov\'{a}sz-Schrijver SDP-operator, near-perfect graphs and near-bipartite graphs

Categories Combinatorial Optimization, Semi-definite Programming Tags , , ,

We study the Lov\'{a}sz-Schrijver lift-and-project operator ($\LS_+$) based on the cone of symmetric, positive semidefinite matrices, applied to the fractional stable set polytope of graphs. The problem of obtaining a combinatorial characterization of graphs for which the $\LS_+$-operator generates the stable set polytope in one step has been open since 1990. We call these graphs … Read more