Parallel depth-first search in general directed graphs

Abstract

A directed cyle separator of an n-vertex directed graph is a simple directed cycle such that when the vertices of the cycle are deleted, the resulting graph has no strongly connected component with more than n/2 vertices. This paper shows that the problem of finding a directed cycle separator is in randomized NC. The paper also proves that computing cycle separators and conducting depth-first search in directed graphs are deterministic NC-equivalent. These two results together yield the first RNC algorithm for depth-first search in directed graphs.