English

Local limit of Prim's algorithm

Probability 2025-07-08 v1

Abstract

We study the local evolution of Prim's algorithm on large finite weighted graphs. When performed for nn steps, where nn is the size of the graph, Prim's algorithm will construct the minimal spanning tree (MST). We assume that our graphs converge locally in probability to some limiting rooted graph. In that case, Aldous and Steele already proved that the local limit of the MST converges to a limiting object, which can be thought of as the MST on the limiting infinite rooted graph. Our aim is to investigate {\em how} the local limit of the MST is reached \textit{dynamically}. For this, we take tn+o(n)tn+o(n) steps of Prim, for t[0,1]t\in[0,1], and, under some reasonable assumptions, show how the local structure interpolates between performing Prim's algorithm on the local limit when t=0t=0, to the full local limit of the MST for t=1t=1. Our proof relies on the use of the recently developed theory of {\em dynamic local convergence}. We further present several examples for which our assumptions, and thus our results, apply.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2507.04867,
  title  = {Local limit of Prim's algorithm},
  author = {Benoît Corsini and Rowel Gündlach and Remco van der Hofstad},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.04867},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

29 pages, 4 figures

R2 v1 2026-07-01T03:49:14.515Z