Approximation algorithms for hitting subgraphs

Abstract: Let $H$ be a fixed undirected graph on $k$ vertices. The $H$-hitting set problem asks for deleting a minimum number of vertices from a given graph $G$ in such a way that the resulting graph has no copies of $H$ as a subgraph. This problem is a special case of the hypergraph vertex cover problem on $k$-uniform hypergraphs, and thus admits an efficient $k$-factor approximation algorithm. The purpose of this article is to investigate the question that for which graphs $H$ this trivial approximation factor $k$ can be improved.