PRAM MEMORY ALLOCATION AND INITIALIZATION

Abstract

Two techniques for managing memory on a parallel random access machine (PRAM) are presented. One is a scheme for an n/log n processor EREW PRAM that dynamically allocates and deallocates up to n records of the same size in O(log n) time. The other is a simulation of a PRAM with initialized memory by one with uninitialized memory. A CREW PRAM variant of the technique justifies the assumption that memory can be assumed to be appropriately initialized with no asymptotic increase in time but a factor of n increase in space. An EREW PRAM solution incurs a factor of O(log n) increase in time but only a constant factor increase in space.