LCLs or locally checkable labelling problems (e.g. maximal independent set, maximal matching, and vertex colouring) in the LOCAL model of computation are very well-understood in cycles (toroidal 1-dimensional grids): every problem has a complexity of O(1), Θ(log∗n), or Θ(n), and the design of optimal algorithms can be fully automated. This work develops the complexity theory of LCL problems for toroidal 2-dimensional grids. The complexity classes are the same as in the 1-dimensional case: O(1), Θ(log∗n), and Θ(n). However, given an LCL problem it is undecidable whether its complexity is Θ(log∗n) or Θ(n) in 2-dimensional grids. Nevertheless, if we correctly guess that the complexity of a problem is Θ(log∗n), we can completely automate the design of optimal algorithms. For any problem we can find an algorithm that is of a normal form A′∘Sk, where A′ is a finite function, Sk is an algorithm for finding a maximal independent set in kth power of the grid, and k is a constant. Finally, partially with the help of automated design tools, we classify the complexity of several concrete LCL problems related to colourings and orientations.
@article{arxiv.1702.05456,
title = {LCL problems on grids},
author = {Sebastian Brandt and Juho Hirvonen and Janne H. Korhonen and Tuomo Lempiäinen and Patric R. J. Östergård and Christopher Purcell and Joel Rybicki and Jukka Suomela and Przemysław Uznański},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1702.05456},
year = {2017}
}