(Independent) Roman Domination Parameterized by Distance to Cluster

TL;DR

This paper develops fixed-parameter tractable algorithms for Roman Domination problems in graphs close to cluster graphs, providing both upper bounds and complexity lower bounds based on the distance parameter.

Contribution

It introduces FPT algorithms for Roman Domination problems parameterized by distance to cluster graphs and establishes complexity bounds and kernelization limits.

Findings

FPT algorithms run in time 4^k n^{O(1)} for graphs close to cluster graphs.

Lower bounds show no 2^{εk} n^{O(1)} algorithm exists under SETH.

The problem does not admit polynomial kernels unless NP ⊆ coNP/poly.

Abstract

Given a graph $G=(V,E)$, a function $f:V\to \{0,1,2\}$ is said to be a \emph{Roman Dominating function} (RDF) if for every $v\in V$ with $f(v)=0$, there exists a vertex $u\in N(v)$ such that $f(u)=2$. A Roman Dominating function $f$ is said to be an \emph{Independent Roman Dominating function} (IRDF), if $V_1\cup V_2$ forms an independent set, where $V_i=\{v\in V~\vert~f(v)=i\}$, for $i\in \{0,1,2\}$. The total weight of $f$ is equal to $\sum_{v\in V} f(v)$, and is denoted as $w(f)$. The \emph{Roman Domination Number} (resp. \emph{Independent Roman Domination Number}) of $G$, denoted by $\gamma_R(G)$ (resp. $i_R(G)$), is defined as min$\{w(f)~\vert~f$ is an RDF (resp. IRDF) of $G\}$. For a given graph $G$, the problem of computing $\gamma_R(G)$ (resp. $i_R(G)$) is defined as the \emph{Roman Domination problem} (resp. \emph{Independent Roman Domination problem}). In this paper, we examine structural parameterizations of the (Independent) Roman Domination problem. We propose fixed-parameter tractable (FPT) algorithms for the (Independent) Roman Domination problem in graphs that are $k$ vertices away from a cluster graph. These graphs have a set of $k$ vertices whose removal results in a cluster graph. We refer to $k$ as the distance to the cluster graph. Specifically, we prove the following results when parameterized by the deletion distance $k$ to cluster graphs: we can find the Roman Domination Number (and Independent Roman Domination Number) in time $4^kn^{O(1)}$. In terms of lower bounds, we show that the Roman Domination number can not be computed in time $2^{\epsilon k}n^{O(1)}$, for any $0<\epsilon <1$ unless a well-known conjecture, SETH fails. In addition, we also show that the Roman Domination problem parameterized by distance to cluster, does not admit a polynomial kernel unless NP $\subseteq$ coNP$/$poly.