Lipton–Tarjan separator theorem

E583430

The Lipton–Tarjan separator theorem is a fundamental result in graph theory that shows any planar graph can be efficiently divided into roughly equal parts by removing only a relatively small set of vertices, enabling faster algorithms for many computational problems.

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Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf separator theorem
theorem in graph theory
algorithmicAspect separator can be found in linear time for planar graphs
appliesTo planar graphs
assumption graph is planar
balanceProperty separator splits the graph into roughly equal-sized parts
citedAs Lipton–Tarjan planar separator theorem NERFINISHED
complexityImpact enables faster algorithms for many NP-hard problems on planar graphs
reduces running time of many planar graph algorithms from O(n^2) to near-linear or n^{3/2}
componentSizeBound at most 2n/3 vertices per component
each component has at most 2n/3 vertices when separator is removed
enables divide-and-conquer algorithms on planar graphs
field graph theory
generalizedBy separator theorems for minor-closed graph classes
graphClass simple planar graphs
undirected graphs
influenceOn graph algorithms textbooks
parameterized complexity on planar graphs
inspired subsequent separator theorems in geometric graphs
mainClaim every n-vertex planar graph has a vertex separator of size O(sqrt(n))
the removal of the separator partitions the planar graph into components each with at most a constant fraction of the vertices
namedAfter Richard J. Lipton NERFINISHED
Robert Endre Tarjan NERFINISHED
originalAuthors Richard J. Lipton NERFINISHED
Robert Endre Tarjan NERFINISHED
originalTitle A separator theorem for planar graphs NERFINISHED
proofTechnique breadth-first search layering
cycle separators
planar embedding arguments
publishedIn Journal of the ACM NERFINISHED
relatedConcept branchwidth
graph separator
minor-closed graph families
planar separator theorem NERFINISHED
treewidth
separatorSizeBound O(sqrt(n))
separatorType vertex separator
usedFor design of subquadratic algorithms on planar graphs
planar graph divide-and-conquer dynamic programming
planar graph maximum independent set approximation
planar graph recognition algorithms
planar graph shortest path algorithms
planar graph vertex cover algorithms
yearProved 1979

Referenced by (1)

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Richard Lipton knownFor Lipton–Tarjan separator theorem