Graph-Theoretic Limits of Distributed Computation: Entropy, Eigenvalues, and Chromatic Numbers

We address the problem of the distributed computation of arbitrary functions of two correlated sources, X1 and X2, residing in two distributed source nodes, respectively. We exploit the structure of a computation task by coding source characteristic graphs (and multiple instances using the n-fold OR product of this graph with itself). For regular graphs and general graphs, we establish bounds on the optimal rate-characterized by the chromatic entropy for the n-fold graph products-that allows a receiver for asymptotically lossless computation of arbitrary functions over finite fields. For the special class of cycle graphs (i.e., 2-regular graphs), we establish an exact characterization of chromatic numbers and derive bounds on the required rates. Next, focusing on the more general class of d-regular graphs, we establish connections between d-regular graphs and expansion rates for n-fold graph products using graph spectra. Finally, for general graphs, we leverage the Gershgorin Circle Theorem (GCT) to provide a characterization of the spectra, which allows us to derive new bounds on the optimal rate. Our codes leverage the spectra of the computation and provide a graph expansion-based characterization to succinctly capture the computation structure, providing new insights into the problem of distributed computation of arbitrary functions.