Lexicographic Optimal Homologous Chains and Applications to Point Cloud Triangulations

David Cohen-Steiner, André Lieutier, Julien Vuillamy

Abstract: This paper considers a particular case of the Optimal Homologous Chain Problem (OHCP) for integer modulo 2 coefficients, where optimality is meant as a minimal lexicographic order on chains induced by a total order on simplices. The matrix reduction algorithm used for persistent homology is used to derive polynomial algorithms solving this problem instance, whereas OHCP is NP-hard in the classical setting. The complexity is further improved to a quasilinear algorithm by leveraging a dual graph minimum cut formulation when the simplicial complex is a pseudomanifold. We then show how this particular instance of the problem is relevant, by providing an application in the context of point cloud triangulation.