Submodular Functions and Optimization

The importance of submodular functions has been widely recognized in recent years in combinatorial optimization. This is the first book devoted to the exposition of the theory of submodular functions from an elementary technical level to an advanced one. A unifying view of the theory is shown by means of base polyhedra and duality for submodular and supermodular systems. Among the subjects treated are: neoflows (submodular flows, independent flows, polymatroidal flows), submodular analysis (submodular programs, duality, Lagrangian functions, principal partitions), nonlinear optimization with submodular constraints (lexicographically optimal bases, fair resource allocation). Special emphasis is placed on the constructive aspects of the theory, which lead to practical, efficient algorithms.