Algorithmic approaches to circuit enumeration problems and applications

Abstract

A review of methods of enumerating elementary cycles and circuits is presented. For the directed planar graph, a geometric view of circuit generation is introduced making use of the properties of dual graphs. Given the set of elementary cycles or circuits, a particular algorithm is recommended to generate all simple circuits. A simple example accompanies each of the methods discussed. Some methods of reducing the size of the graph but maintaining all circuits are introduced. Worst-case bounds on computational time and space are also given. The problem of enumerating elementary circuits whose cost is less than a certain fixed cost is solved by modifying an existing algorithm. The cost of a circuit is the sum of the cost of the arcs forming the circuit where arc costs are not restricted to be positive. Applications of circuits with particular properties are suggested.