A Linear-Time Algorithm for Finding a Minimum Spanning Pseudoforest

Report ID: TR-108-87
Author: Tarjan, Robert E. / Gabow, Harold N.
Date: 1987-07-00
Pages: 8
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Abstract:

A pseudoforest is a graph each of whose connected components is a tree or a tree plus an edge; a spanning pseudoforest of a graph contains the greatest number of edges possible. This paper shows that a minimum cost spanning pseudoforest of a graph with n vertices and m edges can be found in O(m+n) time. This implies that a minimum spanning tree can be found in O(m) time for graphs with girth at least log(i)n for some constant i.