Graph separators are a ubiquitous tool in graph theory and computer science. However, in some applications, their usefulness is limited by the fact that the separator can be as large as Ω ( √ n) in graphs with n vertices. This is the case for planar graphs, and more generally, for proper minor-closed families. We study a special type of graph separator, called a layered separator, which possibly has linear size in n, but has constant size with respect to a different measure, called the breadth. We prove that a wide class of graphs admit layered separators of bounded breadth, including graphs of bounded Euler genus. We use these results to prove O(log n) bounds for a number of problems where O ( √ n) was a long standing previous best bound. This includes queue-number and nonrepetitive chromatic number of bounded Euler genus graphs. We extend these results, with a log O(1) n bound, to all proper minor-closed families. This result also implies that every graph from a proper minor-closed class has a 3-dimensional grid drawing in n log O(1) n volume, where the previous best bound was O(n 3/2). Only for planar graphs was a log O(1) n bound on the queue-number previously known.

A k-queue layout of a graph consists of a total order of the vertices, and a partition of the edges into k sets such that no two edges that are in the same set are nested with respect to the vertex ordering. A k-track layout of a graph consists of a vertex k-colouring, and a total order of each vertex colour class, such that between each pair of colour classes no two edges cross. The queue-number (track-number) of a graph G, is the minimum k such that G has a k-queue (k-track) layout. This paper proves that every n-vertex planar graph has track number and queue number at most O(logn). This improves the result of Di Battista, Frati and Pach [Foundations of Computer Science, (FOCS ’10), pp. 365–374] who proved the first sub-polynomial bounds on the queue number and track number of planar graphs. Specifically, they obtained O(log 2 n) queue number and O(log 8 n) track number bounds for planar graphs. The result also implies that every planar graph has a 3D crossing-free grid drawing in O(nlogn) volume. The proof uses a non-standard type of graph separators.

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Graph separators are a ubiquitous tool in graph theory and computer science. However, in some applications, their usefulness is limited by the fact that the separator can be as large as Ω( n) in graphs with n vertices. This is the case for planar graphs, and more generally, for proper minor-closed families. We study a special type of graph separator, called a layered separator, which may have linear size in n, but has bounded size with respect to a different measure, called the breadth. We prove that a wide class of graphs admit layered separators of bounded breadth, including graphs of bounded Euler genus. We use layered separators to prove O(log n) bounds for a number of problems where O(√n) was a long standing previous best bound. This includes the nonrepetitive chromatic number and queue-number of graphs with bounded Euler genus. We extend these results to all proper minor-closed families, with a O(log n) bound on the nonrepetitive chromatic number, and a logO(1) n bound on the queue-number. Only for planar graphs were logO(1) n bounds previously known. Our results imply that every graph from a proper minor-closed class has a 3-dimensional grid drawing with n logO(1) n volume, whereas the previous best bound was O(n3/2). Readers interested in the full details should consult arXiv:1302.0304 and arXiv:1306.1595, rather than the current extended abstract.

Abstract. A k-queue layout of a graph consists of a total order of the vertices, and a partition of the edges into k sets such that no two edges that are in the same set are nested with respect to the vertex ordering. A k-track layout of a graph consists of a vertex k-colouring, and a total order of each vertex colour class, such that between each pair of colour classes no two edges cross. The queue-number (track-number) of a graph G, is the minimum k such that G has a k-queue (k-track) layout. This paper proves that every n-vertex planar graph has track number and queue number at most O(logn). This improves the result of Di Battista, Frati and Pach [Founda-tions of Computer Science, (FOCS ’10), pp. 365–374] who proved the first sub-polynomial bounds on the queue number and track number of planar graphs. Specifically, they ob-tained O(log2n) queue number and O(log8n) track number bounds for planar graphs. The result also implies that every planar graph has a 3D crossing-free grid drawing in O(n logn) volume. The proof uses a non-standard type of graph separators. 1