On the Enumeration of Minimal Dominating Sets and Related Notions

Abstract

A dominating set $D$ in a graph is a subset of its vertex set such that each vertex is either in $D$ or has a neighbor in $D$. In this paper, we are interested in the enumeration of (inclusionwise) minimal dominating sets in graphs, called the Dom-Enum problem. It is well known that this problem can be polynomially reduced to the Trans-Enum problem in hypergraphs, i.e., the problem of enumerating all minimal transversals in a hypergraph. First, we show that the Trans-Enum problem can be polynomially reduced to the Dom-Enum problem. As a consequence there exists an output-polynomial time algorithm for the Trans-Enum problem if and only if there exists one for the Dom-Enum problem. Second, we study the Dom-Enum problem in some graph classes. We give an output-polynomial time algorithm for the Dom-Enum problem in split graphs and introduce the completion of a graph to obtain an output-polynomial time algorithm for the Dom-Enum problem in $P_6$-free chordal graphs, a proper superclass of split graphs. Finally...