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Given the symmetry group $S_n$ and two subgroups $G, H\leq S_n$, and $\pi\in S_n$, does $G\pi\cap H=\emptyset$ hold?

As far as I know, the problem is known as the coset intersection problem. I am wondering what's the complexity? In particular, is this problem known to be in coAM?

Moreover, if $H$ is restricted to be abelian, what does the complexity become?

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    $\begingroup$ How are the two groups represented as input? $\endgroup$ Sep 25, 2014 at 10:03
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    $\begingroup$ by convention, they are given by sets of generators. $\endgroup$
    – maomao
    Sep 25, 2014 at 10:05
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    $\begingroup$ The coset intersection problem is typically phrased oppositely: the answer is yes iff they intersect. It is this version of the problem that's in $\mathsf{NP} \cap \mathsf{coAM}$. $\endgroup$ Sep 26, 2014 at 20:15
  • $\begingroup$ An interesting side note, which invalidates none of the above: graph isomorphism, coset intersection, and string isomorphism were all the subject of a new result by Babai first described in a seminar a couple of days ago. No publication yet, but it looks like there is now a quasi-polynomial algorithm for all of them. $\endgroup$
    – Perry
    Nov 12, 2015 at 17:22

2 Answers 2

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Moderately exponential time and $\mathsf{coAM}$ (for the opposite of the problem as stated: Coset Intersection is typically considered to have a "yes" answer if the cosets intersect, opposite of how it's stated in the OQ.)

Luks 1999 (free author's copy) gave a $2^{O(n)}$-time algorithm, while Babai (see his 1983 Ph.D. thesis, also Babai-Kantor-Luks FOCS 1983, and a to-appear journal version) gave a $2^{\tilde{O}(\sqrt{n})}$-time algorithm, which remains the best known to date. Since graph isomorphism reduces to quadratic-sized coset intersection, improving this to $2^{\tilde{O}(n^{1/4-\epsilon})}$ would improve the state of the art for graph isomorphism.

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Consider the complement, i.e. where you are asked to test whether $G \pi \cap H \not= \emptyset$. As I pointed out in this answer, testing whether $g \in \langle g_1, \ldots, g_k\rangle$ is in $\text{NC} \subseteq \text{P}$ [1]. So you can guess $g, h \in S_n$ and test in polynomial time whether $g \in G$, $h \in H$ and $g \pi = h$. This yields an $\text{NP}$ upper bound and, therefore, your problem is in $\text{coNP}$.

Edit: It is shown in [2, Thm. 15] that the coset intersection problem is in $\text{NP} \cap \text{coAM}$. As noted here, p. 7, the coset intersection problem is therefore not NP-complete, unless the polynomial time hierarchy collapses. Moreover, it is noted here, p. 6, that it was shown by Luks that the problem is in $\text{P}$ when $H$ is solvable, which include the case of $H$ abelian.

[1] L. Babai, E. M. Luks & A. Seress. Permutation groups in NC. Proc. 19th annual ACM symposium on Theory of computing, pp. 409-420, 1987.

[2] L. Babai, S. Moran. Arthur-Merlin games: A randomized proof system, and a hierarchy of complexity classes. Journal of Computer and System Sciences, vol. 36, issue 2, pp. 254-276, 1988.

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  • $\begingroup$ many thanks for the answer. For the case H is a normal subgroup, it is clear. However, if H is just abelian, it is not really clear for me. Does $GH=<{st: s\in S, t\in T}>$ still hold? (sorry for my stupidity...) $\endgroup$
    – maomao
    Sep 25, 2014 at 20:34
  • $\begingroup$ My bad, my brain mixed "normal" and "solvable" for a moment. I'm sorry. I edited the answer, I hope it answers your question. $\endgroup$ Sep 25, 2014 at 21:06
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    $\begingroup$ When H is a normal subgroup of G, the coset intersection problem is much easier: it reduces to just the membership problem (is $\pi$ in G). $\endgroup$ Sep 26, 2014 at 2:52
  • $\begingroup$ Right, thank you. That part of my answer is pretty much worthless then. $\endgroup$ Sep 26, 2014 at 17:17
  • $\begingroup$ I removed the paragraph, it was just confusing. $\endgroup$ Sep 28, 2014 at 1:40

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