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Documents authored by Breitkopf, Tom-Lukas

Document
DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2026.67
On the Parameterized Complexity of Bounded-Density Vertex Deletion

Authors: Jakob Raupach, Tom-Lukas Breitkopf, Anton Herrmann, and André Nichterlein

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 386, 51st International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2026)

Abstract
We explore the parameterized complexity of Bounded Density Vertex Deletion (BDVD): given a graph G, an integer budget k, and a target density τ_ρ, the task is to determine whether the density (i.e. number of edges divided by number of vertices) of the densest subgraph of G can be reduced to at most τ_ρ by deleting at most k vertices. Our primary focus is on structural graph parameters related to treewidth, as the parameterized complexity of BDVD with respect to treewidth was left as open question by Bazgan et al. [JCSS, 2025]. We resolve this question by showing W[1]-hardness with respect to various parameters, including treedepth and feedback vertex number. These results imply W[1]-hardness with respect to treewidth. We obtain positive results for parameters larger than treedepth and feedback vertex number, namely we show BDVD is in FPT parameterized by the max leaf number or vertex integrity. Under the assumption that the target density τ_ρ is a fixed constant the parameterized complexity landscape of BDVD changes drastically, allowing a fixed-parameter tractable algorithm even for parameters smaller than treewidth, namely cliquewidth. Altogether, our results provide a refined complexity landscape for Bounded Density Vertex Deletion, sharply distinguishing between tractable and intractable parameter regimes under structural parameterizations.
Cite as

Jakob Raupach, Tom-Lukas Breitkopf, Anton Herrmann, and André Nichterlein. On the Parameterized Complexity of Bounded-Density Vertex Deletion. In 51st International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 386, pp. 67:1-67:16, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{raupach_et_al:LIPIcs.MFCS.2026.67,
  author =	{Raupach, Jakob and Breitkopf, Tom-Lukas and Herrmann, Anton and Nichterlein, Andr\'{e}},
  title =	{{On the Parameterized Complexity of Bounded-Density Vertex Deletion}},
  booktitle =	{51st International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2026)},
  pages =	{67:1--67:16},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-442-0},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{386},
  editor =	{Kouck\'{y}, Michal and Petrișan, Daniela},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2026.67},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-274497},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2026.67},
  annote =	{Keywords: Graph Modification Problem, Integer Linear Programming, Dynamic Programming, Max Leaf Number, Vertex Integrity}
}
Document
DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.12
Density Matters: A Complexity Dichotomy of Deleting Edges to Bound Subgraph Density

Authors: Matthias Bentert, Tom-Lukas Breitkopf, Vincent Froese, Anton Herrmann, and André Nichterlein

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 364, 43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026)

Abstract
We study τ-Bounded-Density Edge Deletion (τ-BDED), where given an undirected graph G, the task is to remove as few edges as possible to obtain a graph G' where no subgraph of G' has density more than τ. The density of a (sub)graph is the number of edges divided by the number of vertices. This problem was recently introduced and shown to be NP-hard for τ ∈ {2/3, 3/4, 1 + 1/25}, but polynomial-time solvable for τ ∈ {0,1/2,1} [Bazgan et al., JCSS 2025]. We provide a complete dichotomy with respect to the target density τ: 1) If 2τ ∈ ℕ (half-integral target density) or τ < 2/3, then τ-BDED is polynomial-time solvable. 2) Otherwise, τ-BDED is NP-hard. We complement the NP-hardness with fixed-parameter tractability with respect to the treewidth of G. Moreover, for integral target density τ ∈ ℕ, we show τ-BDED to be solvable in randomized O(m^{1 + o(1)}) time. Our algorithmic results are based on a reduction to a new general flow problem on restricted networks that, depending on τ, can be solved via Maximum s-t-Flow or General Factors. We believe this connection between these variants of flow and matching to be of independent interest.
Cite as

Matthias Bentert, Tom-Lukas Breitkopf, Vincent Froese, Anton Herrmann, and André Nichterlein. Density Matters: A Complexity Dichotomy of Deleting Edges to Bound Subgraph Density. In 43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 364, pp. 12:1-12:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{bentert_et_al:LIPIcs.STACS.2026.12,
  author =	{Bentert, Matthias and Breitkopf, Tom-Lukas and Froese, Vincent and Herrmann, Anton and Nichterlein, Andr\'{e}},
  title =	{{Density Matters: A Complexity Dichotomy of Deleting Edges to Bound Subgraph Density}},
  booktitle =	{43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026)},
  pages =	{12:1--12:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-412-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{364},
  editor =	{Mahajan, Meena and Manea, Florin and McIver, Annabelle and Thắng, Nguy\~{ê}n Kim},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.12},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-255012},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.12},
  annote =	{Keywords: Transshipment, Maximum Flow, General Factors, Matching, Graph Modification Problem}
}
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