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Parallel heap: An optimal parallel priority queue

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Abstract

We describe a new parallel data structure, namely parallel heap, for exclusive-read exclusive-write parallel random access machines. To our knowledge, it is the first such data structure to efficiently implement a truly parallel priority queue based on a heap structure. Employing p processors, the parallel heap allows deletions of θ(p) highest priority items and insertions of θ(p) new items, each in O(log n) time, where n is the size of the parallel heap. Furthermore, it can efficiently utilize processors in the range 1 through n.

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This work was supported by U.S. Army's PM-TRADE contract N61339-88-g-0002, Florida High Technology and Industry grant 11-28-716, and Georgia State University's internal research support during spring and summer quarters, 1991.

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Deo, N., Prasad, S. Parallel heap: An optimal parallel priority queue. J Supercomput 6, 87–98 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00128644

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