We consider a natural combinatorial optimization problem on chordal graphs, the class of graphs with no induced cycle of length four or more. A subset of vertices of a chordal graph is (monophonically) convex if it contains the vertices of all chordless paths between any two vertices of the set. The problem is to find a maximum-weight convex subset of a given vertex-weighted chordal graph. It generalizes previously studied special cases in trees and split graphs. It also happens to be closely related to the closure problem in partially ordered sets and directed graphs. We give the first polynomial-time algorithm for the problem.
PreliminariesWe review here some basic notation and results for graphs and convex geometries, we also formally define the problems we investigate.
Chordal graph shelling antimatroids have received little attention with regard to their combinatorial properties and related optimization problems, as compared to the case of poset shelling antimatroids. Here we consider a special case of these antimatroids, namely the split graph shelling antimatroids. We show that the feasible sets of such an antimatroid relate to some poset shelling antimatroids constructed from the graph. We discuss a few applications, obtaining in particular a simple polynomial-time algorithm to find a maximum weight feasible set. We also provide a simple description of the circuits and the free sets.
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