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DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.SEA.2026.2

Different Scales of Randomness: Empirical Mixing Times of the Edge Switching and Curveball MCMC

Authors: Deepak Ajwani, Melvin Kallmayer, Alexander Leonhardt, Ulrich Meyer, Ryan O'Connor, and Manuel Penschuck

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 371, 24th International Symposium on Experimental Algorithms (SEA 2026)

Abstract

The Fixed Degree Sequence Model (FDSM) asks for a uniform sample from the set of all simple graphs that match a prescribed degree sequence. It is typically implemented using Markov-Chain Monte-Carlo (MCMC) processes, such as Edge Switching or Curveball (and their variants). Yet despite decades of research, rigorous bounds on the mixing times of such processes remain impractical. Consequently, several experimental techniques have been used to derive "empirical lower bounds" on the mixing time. We address the following research questions: (1) Which commonly studied graph-theoretic properties serve as reliable empirical predictors for mixing of FDSM MCMC processes? (2) At what structural scales do these properties operate primarily (i. e., are they predominantly local or global in nature)? (3) How can these properties be characterised and quantified most effectively? To this end, we propose Claim, a novel systematic method to establish empirical lower bounds using learnt classifiers, and compare it to existing methods. Apart from interesting insights into the usage of machine learning for this problem, we also derive robust graph properties with respect to different randomisation algorithms. Although experimental in nature, these results may influence both theorist’s and algorithm engineer’s work on improved bounds and better algorithm respectively.

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Deepak Ajwani, Melvin Kallmayer, Alexander Leonhardt, Ulrich Meyer, Ryan O'Connor, and Manuel Penschuck. Different Scales of Randomness: Empirical Mixing Times of the Edge Switching and Curveball MCMC. In 24th International Symposium on Experimental Algorithms (SEA 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 371, pp. 2:1-2:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{ajwani_et_al:LIPIcs.SEA.2026.2,
  author =	{Ajwani, Deepak and Kallmayer, Melvin and Leonhardt, Alexander and Meyer, Ulrich and O'Connor, Ryan and Penschuck, Manuel},
  title =	{{Different Scales of Randomness: Empirical Mixing Times of the Edge Switching and Curveball MCMC}},
  booktitle =	{24th International Symposium on Experimental Algorithms (SEA 2026)},
  pages =	{2:1--2:19},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-422-2},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{371},
  editor =	{Aum\"{u}ller, Martin and Finocchi, Irene},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.SEA.2026.2},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-260062},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.SEA.2026.2},
  annote =	{Keywords: Mixing Time, Graph Randomization, Machine Learning, Edge Switching}
}

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DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.ESA.2025.89

A Simple Algorithm for Trimmed Multipoint Evaluation

Authors: Nick Fischer, Melvin Kallmayer, and Leo Wennmann

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 351, 33rd Annual European Symposium on Algorithms (ESA 2025)

Abstract

Evaluating a polynomial on a set of points is a fundamental task in computer algebra. In this work, we revisit a particular variant called trimmed multipoint evaluation: given an n-variate polynomial with bounded individual degree d and total degree D, the goal is to evaluate it on a natural class of input points. This problem arises as a key subroutine in recent algorithmic results [Dinur; SODA '21], [Dell, Haak, Kallmayer, Wennmann; SODA '25]. It is known that trimmed multipoint evaluation can be solved in near-linear time [van der Hoeven, Schost; AAECC '13] by a clever yet somewhat involved algorithm. We give a simple recursive algorithm that avoids heavy computer-algebraic machinery, and can be readily understood by researchers without specialized background.

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Nick Fischer, Melvin Kallmayer, and Leo Wennmann. A Simple Algorithm for Trimmed Multipoint Evaluation. In 33rd Annual European Symposium on Algorithms (ESA 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 351, pp. 89:1-89:11, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{fischer_et_al:LIPIcs.ESA.2025.89,
  author =	{Fischer, Nick and Kallmayer, Melvin and Wennmann, Leo},
  title =	{{A Simple Algorithm for Trimmed Multipoint Evaluation}},
  booktitle =	{33rd Annual European Symposium on Algorithms (ESA 2025)},
  pages =	{89:1--89:11},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-395-9},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{351},
  editor =	{Benoit, Anne and Kaplan, Haim and Wild, Sebastian and Herman, Grzegorz},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.ESA.2025.89},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-245574},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ESA.2025.89},
  annote =	{Keywords: Algebraic Algorithms, Multipoint Evaluation, Interpolation, LU Decomposition}
}

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Documents authored by Kallmayer, Melvin

Different Scales of Randomness: Empirical Mixing Times of the Edge Switching and Curveball MCMC

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A Simple Algorithm for Trimmed Multipoint Evaluation

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