Optimal Parallel Lexicographic Sorting using a Fine-Grained Decomposition

Though non-comparison based sorting techniques like radix sorting can be done with less work than conventional comparison-based methods, they are not used for long keys. This is because even though parallel radix sorting algorithms process the keys in parallel, the symbols in the keys are processed sequentially. In this report, we give an optimal algorithm for lexicographic sorting that can be used to sort n m-bit keys on an EREW model in Ө (log nlogm) time with Ө (mn) work . This algorithm is not only as fast as any optimal non-comparison based algorithm, but can also be executed with less work. We also use the proposed algorithm to show that if n Ө (log n) unsigned binary numbers can be sorted optimally on an EREW PRAM than n unsigned binary numbers of unrestricted length can be sorted optimally on an EREW PRAM