The determining number of a Cartesian product

A set S of vertices is a determining set for a graph G if every automorphism of G is uniquely determined by its action on S. The determining number of G, denoted Det(G), is the size of a smallest determining set. This paper begins by proving that if G=G□?□G is the prime factor decomposition of a connected graph then Det(G)=max{Det(G)}. It then provides upper and lower bounds for the determining number of a Cartesian power of a prime connected graph. Further, this paper shows that Det(Q_n)=?log₂n?+1 which matches the lower bound, and that Det(K)=?log₃(2n+1)?+1 which for all n is within one of the upper bound. The paper concludes by proving that if H is prime and connected, Det(Hⁿ)=Θ(logn). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory     

Subgraphs smaller than the girth

For graphs A, B, let () denote the number of subsets of nodes of A for which the induced subgraph is B. If G and H both have girth > k, and if () = () for every k-node tree T, then for every k-node forest F, () = (). Say the spread of a tree is the number of nodes in a longest path. If G is regular of degree d, on n nodes, with girth > k, and if F is a forest of total spread ≤k, then the value of () depends only on n and d.     

On Ramsey‐type positional games

Let K denote the graph obtained from the complete graph K_s+t by deleting the edges of some K_t‐subgraph. We prove that for each fixed s and sufficiently large t, every graph with chromatic number s+t has a K minor. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 65: 343–350, 2010     

The circular chromatic number of the Mycielskian of G

In a search for triangle-free graphs with arbitrarily large chromatic numbers, Mycielski developed a graph transformation that transforms a graph G into a new graph μ(G), we now call the Mycielskian of G, which has the same clique number as G and whose chromatic number equals χ(G) + 1. Chang, Huang, and Zhu [G. J. Chang, L. Huang, & X. Zhu, Discrete Math, to appear] have investigated circular chromatic numbers of Mycielskians for several classes of graphs. In this article, we study circular chromatic numbers of Mycielskians for another class of graphs G. The main result is that χ_c(μ(G)) = χ(μ(G)), which settles a problem raised in [G. J. Chang, L. Huang, & X. Zhu, Discrete Math, to appear, and X. Zhu, to appear]. As χ_c(G) = and χ(G) = , consequently, there exist graphs G such that χ_c(G) is as close to χ(G) − 1 as you want, but χ_c(μ(G)) = χ(μ(G)). © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 32: 63–71, 1999     

Normal cirulant graphs with noncyclic regular subroups

We prove that any circulant graph of order n with connection set S such that n and the order of ?(S), the subgroup of ? that fixes S set‐wise, are relatively prime, is also a Cayley graph on some noncyclic group, and shows that the converse does not hold in general. In the special case of normal circulants whose order is not divisible by 4, we classify all such graphs that are also Cayley graphs of a noncyclic group, and show that the noncyclic group must be metacyclic, generated by two cyclic groups whose orders are relatively prime. We construct an infinite family of normal circulants whose order is divisible by 4 that are also normal Cayley graphs on dihedral and noncyclic abelian groups. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory     

Distinguishing two graph-encoded manifolds of Lins

Lins has conjectured that the two 3-manifolds that he refers to as H and H̄ are not homeomorphic. He suggests that their fundamental groups may be the same, but that they may be distinguishable by their quantum invariants. This article describes the proof that they, in fact, have different fundamental groups. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 32: 298–302, 1999     

Star factorizations of graph products

A k‐star is the graph K_1,k. We prove a general theorem about k‐star factorizations of Cayley graphs. This is used to give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of k‐star factorizations of any power (K_q)^s of a complete graph with prime power order q, products C × C ×··· × C of k cycles of arbitrary lengths, and any power (C_r)^s of a cycle of arbitrary length. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 36: 59–66, 2001     

Acyclic edge chromatic number of outerplanar graphs

A proper edge coloring of a graph G is called acyclic if there is no 2‐colored cycle in G. The acyclic edge chromatic number of G, denoted by χ(G), is the least number of colors in an acyclic edge coloring of G. In this paper, we determine completely the acyclic edge chromatic number of outerplanar graphs. The proof is constructive and supplies a polynomial time algorithm to acyclically color the edges of any outerplanar graph G using χ(G) colors. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 64: 22–36, 2010     

An extremal problem for subdivisions of K

It is proved that every graph G with ‖G‖ ≥ 2|G| − 5, |G| ≥ 6, and girth at least 5, except the Petersen graph, contains a subdivision of K, the complete graph on five vertices minus one edge. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc, J. Graph Theory 30: 261–276, 1999     

On the minimum size of tight hypergraphs

A k-graph, H = (V, E), is tight if for every surjective mapping f: V → {1,….k} there exists an edge α ? E sicj tjat f|_α is injective. Clearly, 2-graphs are tight if and only if they are connected. Bounds for the minimum number ? of edges in a tight k-graph with n vertices are given. We conjecture that ? for every n and prove the equality when 2n + 1 is prime. From the examples, minimal embeddings of complete graphs into surfaces follow. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Clique minors in double‐critical graphs

A connected t‐chromatic graph G is double‐critical if is ‐colorable for each edge . A long‐standing conjecture of Erdős and Lovász that the complete graphs are the only double‐critical t‐chromatic graphs remains open for all . Given the difficulty in settling Erdős and Lovász's conjecture and motivated by the well‐known Hadwiger's conjecture, Kawarabayashi, Pedersen, and Toft proposed a weaker conjecture that every double‐critical t‐chromatic graph contains a minor and verified their conjecture for . Albar and Gonçalves recently proved that every double‐critical 8‐chromatic graph contains a K₈ minor, and their proof is computer assisted. In this article, we prove that every double‐critical t‐chromatic graph contains a minor for all . Our proof for is shorter and computer free.     

More on foxes

An edge in a k‐connected graph G is called k‐contractible if the graph obtained from G by contracting e is k‐connected. Generalizing earlier results on 3‐contractible edges in spanning trees of 3‐connected graphs, we prove that (except for the graphs if ) (a) every spanning tree of a k‐connected triangle free graph has two k‐contractible edges, (b) every spanning tree of a k‐connected graph of minimum degree at least has two k‐contractible edges, (c) for , every DFS tree of a k‐connected graph of minimum degree at least has two k‐contractible edges, (d) every spanning tree of a cubic 3‐connected graph nonisomorphic to K₄ has at least many 3‐contractible edges, and (e) every DFS tree of a 3‐connected graph nonisomorphic to K₄, the prism, or the prism plus a single edge has two 3‐contractible edges. We also discuss in which sense these theorems are best possible.     

Total relative displacement of vertex permutations of K

Let α denote a permutation of the n vertices of a connected graph G. Define δ_α(G) to be the number , where the sum is over all the unordered pairs of distinct vertices of G. The number δ_α(G) is called the total relative displacement of α (in G). So, permutation α is an automorphism of G if and only if δ_α(G) = 0. Let π(G) denote the smallest positive value of δ_α(G) among the n! permutations α of the vertices of G. A permutation α for which π(G) = δ_α(G) has been called a near‐automorphism of G [ 2 ]. We determine π(K) and describe permutations α of K for which π(K) = δ_α(K). This is done by transforming the problem into the combinatorial optimization problem of maximizing the sums of the squares of the entries in certain t by t matrices with non–negative integer entries in which the sum of the entries in the ith row and the sum of the entries in the ith column each equal to n_i,1≤i≤t. We prove that for positive integers, n₁≤n₂≤…≤n_t, where t≥2 and n_t≥2, where k₀ is the smallest index for which n = n+1. As a special case, we correct the value of π(K_m,n), for all m and n at least 2, given by Chartrand, Gavlas, and VanderJagt [ 2 ]. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 41: 85–100, 2002     

On a conjecture on maximal planar sequences

Let d1 d2 dp denote the nonincreasing sequence d₁, …, d₁, d₂, …, d₂, …, d_p, …, d_p, where the term d_i appears k_i times (i = 1, 2, …, p). In this work the author proves that the maximal 2-sequences: 7³6¹5¹⁵, 7⁵6¹5¹⁷, 7⁷6¹5¹⁹ are planar graphical, in contrast to a conjecture by Schmeichel and Hakimi.     

Enumeration of graphs by degree sequence

The degree sequence (d₀, d₁, …, d_p-1) of a graph G of order p is defined by d_k = the number of points of G of degree k. Methods of Robinson are extended to produce a generating function F(x₀, x₁, x₂, …) where the coefficient of x…x is the number of graphs of order p having degree sequence (d₀, …, d_p-1).     

Nowhere‐zero 3‐flow and ‐connectedness in graphs with four edge‐disjoint spanning trees

Given a zero‐sum function with , an orientation D of G with in for every vertex is called a β‐orientation. A graph G is ‐connected if G admits a β‐orientation for every zero‐sum function β. Jaeger et al. conjectured that every 5‐edge‐connected graph is ‐connected. A graph is ‐extendable at vertex v if any preorientation at v can be extended to a β‐orientation of G for any zero‐sum function β. We observe that if every 5‐edge‐connected essentially 6‐edge‐connected graph is ‐extendable at any degree five vertex, then the above‐mentioned conjecture by Jaeger et al. holds as well. Furthermore, applying the partial flow extension method of Thomassen and of Lovász et al., we prove that every graph with at least four edge‐disjoint spanning trees is ‐connected. Consequently, every 5‐edge‐connected essentially 23‐edge‐connected graph is ‐extendable at any degree five vertex.     

Short cycle covers of graphs and nowhere‐zero flows

A shortest cycle cover of a graph G is a family of cycles which together cover all the edges of G and the sum of their lengths is minimum. In this article we present upper bounds to the length of shortest cycle covers, associated with the existence of two types of nowhere‐zero flows—circular flows and Fano flows. Fano flows, or Fano colorings, are nowhere‐zero ?‐flows on cubic graphs, with certain restrictions on the flow values meeting at a vertex. Such flows are conjectured to exist on every bridgless cubic graph. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 68:340‐348, 2011     

On the density of 2‐colorable 3‐graphs in which any four points span at most two edges

Let ex₂(n, K) be the maximum number of edges in a 2‐colorable K‐free 3‐graph (where K={123, 124, 134} ). The 2‐chromatic Turán density of K is $\pi_{2}({K}_{4}^-) =lim_{{n}\to \infty} {ex}_{2}({n}, {K}_{4}^-)/\left(_{3}^{n}\right)Let ex₂(n, K) be the maximum number of edges in a 2‐colorable K‐free 3‐graph (where K={123, 124, 134} ). The 2‐chromatic Turán density of K is $\pi_{2}({K}_{4}^-) =lim_{{n}\to \infty} {ex}_{2}({n}, {K}_{4}^-)/\left(_{3}^{n}\right)$. We improve the previously best known lower and upper bounds of 0.25682 and 3/10?ε, respectively, by showing that This implies the following new upper bound for the Turán density of K In order to establish these results we use a combination of the properties of computer‐generated extremal 3‐graphs for small n and an argument based on “super‐saturation”. Our computer results determine the exact values of ex(n, K) for n≤19 and ex₂(n, K) for n≤17, as well as the sets of extremal 3‐graphs for those n. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18: 105–114, 2010     

Hamiltonicity and Degrees of Adjacent Vertices in Claw‐Free Graphs

For a graph H , let for every edge . For and , let be a set of k‐edge‐connected K₃‐free graphs of order at most r and without spanning closed trails. We show that for given and ε, if H is a k‐connected claw‐free graph of order n with and , and if n is sufficiently large, then either H is Hamiltonian or the Ryjác?ek's closure where G is an essentially k‐edge‐connected K₃‐free graph that can be contracted to a graph in . As applications, we prove:

• (i) For , if and if and n is sufficiently large, then H is Hamiltonian.
• (ii) For , if and n is sufficiently large, then H is Hamiltonian.

These bounds are sharp. Furthermore, since the graphs in are fixed for given p and can be determined in a constant time, any improvement to (i) or (ii) by increasing the value of p and so enlarging the number of exceptions can be obtained computationally.     

A generalization of Plantholt's theorem

Let K denote the complete graph K_2n+1 with each edge replicated r times and let χ′(G) denote the chromatic index of a multigraph G. A multigraph G is critical if χ′(G) > χ′(G/e) for each edge e of G. Let S be a set of sn – 1 edges of K. We show that, for 0 < s ≦ r, G/S is critical and that χ′ (G/(S ∪{e})) = 2rn + r – s for all e ∈ E(G/S). Plantholt [M. Plantholt, The chromatic index of graphs with a spanning star. J. Graph Theory 5 (1981) 5–13] proved this result in the case when r = 1.