A (1+epsilon)-approximation algorithm for partitioning hypergraphs using a new algorithmic version of the Lovasz Local Lemma (Reprinted)
In his seminal result, Beck gave the first algorithmic version of the Lovasz Local Lemma by giving polynomial time algorithms for 2-coloring and partitioning uniform hypergraphs. His work was later generalized by Alon, and Molloy and Reed. Recently, Czumaj and Scheideler gave an efficient algorithm for 2-coloring nonuniform hypergraphs. But the partitioning algorithm obtained based on their second paper only applies to a more limited range of hypergraphs, SO Much so that their work doesn't imply the result of Beck for the uniform case. Here we give an algorithmic version of the general form of the Local Lemma which captures (almost) all applications of the results of Beck and Czumaj and Scheideler, with an overall simpler proof. In particular, if H is a nonuniform hypergraph in which every edge e(i) intersects at most \e(i)\2(alphak) other edges of size at most k, for some small constant alpha, then we can find a partitioning of H in expected linear time. This result implies the result of Beck for uniform hypergraphs along with a speedup in his running time. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
lovasz local lemma probabilistic method random trial hypergraph coloring