On finite Moufang polygons

We show that a finite generalized polygon Γ is Moufang with respect to a groupG if and only if for every flag {x, y} of Γ, the subgroupG ₁(x, y) ofG fixing every element incident with one ofx, y acts transitively on the set of apartments containing the elementsu, x, y, w, whereu≠y (resp.w≠x) is an arbitrary element incident withx (resp.y). Research Associate at the National Fund of Scientific Research of Belgium. Research partially supported by NSF Grant DMS-8901904.     

Augmented group systems and shifts of finite type

Let (G, χ, x) be a triple consisting of a finitely presented groupG, epimorphism χ:G →Z, and distinguished elementx ∈G such that χ(x)=1. Given a finite symmetric groupS _r, we construct a finite directed graph Γ that describes the set Φ _r of representations π: Ker χ →S _r as well as the mapping σ _x :Φ _r →Φ _r defined by (σ _x ϱ)(a) = ϱ(x ⁻¹ ax) for alla ∈ Ker χ. The pair (Φ _r ,σ _x has the structure of a shift of finite type, a well-known type of compact 0-dimensional dynamical system. We discuss basic properties and applications of therepresentation shift (Φ _r ,σ _x ), including applications to knot theory.     

Packing cycles with modularity constraints

We prove that for all positive integers k, there exists an integer N =N(k) such that the following holds. Let G be a graph and let Γ an abelian group with no element of order two. Let γ: E(G)→Γ be a function from the edges of G to the elements of Γ. A non-zero cycle is a cycle C such that Σ _e∈E(C) γ(e) ≠ 0 where 0 is the identity element of Γ. Then G either contains k vertex disjoint non-zero cycles or there exists a set X ⊆ V (G) with |X| ≤N(k) such that G−X contains no non-zero cycle.     

Spectra of ergodic group actions

LetG be a locally compact second countable abelian group, (X, μ) aσ-finite Lebesgue space, and (g, x) →gx a non-singular, properly ergodic action ofG on (X, μ). Let furthermore Γ be the character group ofG and let Sp(G, X) ⊂ Γ denote theL ^∞-spectrum ofG on (X, μ). It has been shown in [5] that Sp(G, X) is a Borel subgroup of Γ and thatσ (Sp(G, X))<1 for every probability measureσ on Γ with lim sup_g→∞Re (g)<1, where is the Fourier transform ofσ. In this note we prove the following converse: ifσ is a probability measure on Γ with lim sup_g→∞Re (g)<1 (g)=1 then there exists a non-singular, properly ergodic action ofG on (X, μ) withσ(Sp(G, X))=1.     

Longest Paths and Longest Cycles in Graphs with Large Degree Sums

 Let p(G) and c(G) denote the number of vertices in a longest path and a longest cycle, respectively, of a finite, simple graph G. Define σ₄(G)=min{d(x ₁)+d(x ₂)+ d(x ₃)+d(x ₄) | {x ₁,…,x ₄} is independent in G}. In this paper, the difference p(G)−c(G) is considered for 2-connected graphs G with σ₄(G)≥|V(G)|+3. Among others, we show that p(G)−c(G)≤2 or every longest path in G is a dominating path. Received: August 28, 2000 Final version received: May 23, 2002     

The Sigma Chromatic Number of a Graph

For a nontrivial connected graph G, let ${c: V(G)\to {{\mathbb N}}}For a nontrivial connected graph G, let c: V(G)? \mathbb N{c: V(G)\to {{\mathbb N}}} be a vertex coloring of G, where adjacent vertices may be colored the same. For a vertex v of G, let N(v) denote the set of vertices adjacent to v. The color sum σ(v) of v is the sum of the colors of the vertices in N(v). If σ(u) ≠ σ(v) for every two adjacent vertices u and v of G, then c is called a sigma coloring of G. The minimum number of colors required in a sigma coloring of a graph G is called its sigma chromatic number σ(G). The sigma chromatic number of a graph G never exceeds its chromatic number χ(G) and for every pair a, b of positive integers with a ≤ b, there exists a connected graph G with σ(G) = a and χ(G) = b. There is a connected graph G of order n with σ(G) = k for every pair k, n of positive integers with k ≤n if and only if k ≠ n − 1. Several other results concerning sigma chromatic numbers are presented.     

Topology of Hom complexes and test graphs for bounding chromatic number

The Hom complex of homomorphisms between two graphs was originally introduced to provide topological lower bounds on the chromatic number. In this paper we introduce new methods for understanding the topology of Hom complexes, mostly in the context of Γ-actions on graphs and posets (for some group Γ). We view the Hom(T, ⊙) and Hom(⊙, G) complexes as functors from graphs to posets, and introduce a functor (⊙)¹ from posets to graphs obtained by taking atoms as vertices. Our main structural results establish useful interpretations of the equivariant homotopy type of Hom complexes in terms of spaces of equivariant poset maps and Γ-twisted products of spaces. When P:= F(X) is the face poset of a simplicial complex X, this provides a useful way to control the topology of Hom complexes. These constructions generalize those of the second author from [17] as well as the calculation of the homotopy groups of Hom complexes from [8].     

Degree Sums,Connectivity and Dominating Cycles in Graphs

Let G be a graph of order n with connectivity κ≥3 and let α be the independence number of G. Set σ₄(G)= min{∑⁴ _{i =1} d(x _i ):{x ₁,x ₂,x ₃,x ₄} is an independent set of G}. In this paper, we will prove that if σ₄(G)≥n+2κ, then there exists a longest cycle C of G such that V(G−C) is an independent set of G. Furthermore, if the minimum degree of G is at least α, then G is hamiltonian. Received: July 31, 1998?Final version received: October 4, 2000     

Weak-Geodetically Closed Subgraphs in Distance-Regular Graphs

 Let Γ=(X,R) denote a distance-regular graph with diameter D≥2 and distance function δ. A (vertex) subgraph Ω⊆X is said to be weak-geodetically closed whenever for all x,y∈Ω and all z∈X,

Distinguishing labeling of group actions

Suppose Γ is a group acting on a set X. An r-labeling f:X→{1,2,…,r} of X is distinguishing (with respect to Γ) if the only label preserving permutation of X in Γ is the identity. The distinguishing number, D_Γ(X), of the action of Γ on X is the minimum r for which there is an r-labeling which is distinguishing. This paper investigates the relation between the cardinality of a set X and the distinguishing numbers of group actions on X. For a positive integer n, let D(n) be the set of distinguishing numbers of transitive group actions on a set X of cardinality n, i.e., D(n)={D_Γ(X):|X|=n and Γ acts transitively on X}. We prove that . Then we consider the problem of an arbitrary fixed group Γ acting on a large set. We prove that if for any action of Γ on a set Y, for each proper normal subgroup H of Γ, D_H(Y)≤2, then there is an integer n such that for any set X with |X|≥n, for any action of Γ on X with no fixed points, D_Γ(X)≤2.     

On Optimal Orientations of Cartesian Products of Trees

. Let d(D) (resp., d(G)) denote the diameter and r(D) (resp., r(G)) the radius of a digraph D (resp., graph G). Let G×H denote the cartesian product of two graphs G and H. An orientation D of G is said to be (r, d)-invariant if r(D)=r(G) and d(D)=d(G). Let {T _i }, i=1,…,n, where n≥2, be a family of trees. In this paper, we show that the graph ∏ _{i =1} ⁿ T _i admits an (r, d)-invariant orientation provided that d(T ₁)≥d(T ₂)≥4 for n=2, and d(T ₁)≥5 and d(T ₂)≥4 for n≥3. Received: July 30, 1997 Final version received: April 20, 1998     

Random matrix products and applications to cellular automata

Let λ be the upper Lyapunov exponent corresponding to a product of i.i.d. randomm×m matrices (X _i) _i ^0/∞ over ℂ. Assume that theX _i's are chosen from a finite set {D ₀,D ₁...,D _t-1(ℂ), withP(X _i=D_j)>0, and that the monoid generated byD ₀, D₁,…, D_q−1 contains a matrix of rank 1. We obtain an explicit formula for λ as a sum of a convergent series. We also consider the case where theX _i's are chosen according to a Markov process and thus generalize a result of Lima and Rahibe [22]. Our results on λ enable us to provide an approximation for the numberN _≠0(F(x)ⁿ,r) of nonzero coefficients inF(x) ⁿ.(modr), whereF(x) ∈ ℤ[x] andr≥2. We prove the existence of and supply a formula for a constant α (<1) such thatN _≠0(F(x)ⁿ,r) ≈n ^α for “almost” everyn. Supported in part by FWF Project P16004-N05     

Groups with few characters of small degrees

Letd>1 be a proper divisor of the order of a finite groupG and let σ _d (G) be the sum of squares of degrees of those irreducible characters whose degrees are not divisible byd. It is easy to see thatd divides σ _d (G). The groupsG such that σ _d (G) =d coincide with Frobenius groups whose kernel has indexd (see G. Karpilovsky,Group Representations, Volume 1, Part B, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1992, Theorem 37.5.5). In this note we study the case σ _d (G) = 2d in some detail. In particular, ifG is a 2-group, it is of maximal class (Remark 3(b)). The author was supported in part by the Ministry of Absorption of Israel.     

A Decomposition Theorem for Compact-Valued Henstock Integral

We prove that if X is a separable Banach space, then a measurable multifunction Γ : [0, 1] → ck(X) is Henstock integrable if and only if Γ can be represented as Γ = G + f, where G : [0, 1] → ck(X) is McShane integrable and f is a Henstock integrable selection of Γ.     

Set vertex colorings and joins of graphs

For a nontrivial connected graph G, let c: V (G) → ℕ be a vertex coloring of G where adjacent vertices may be colored the same. For a vertex v of G, the neighborhood color set NC(v) is the set of colors of the neighbors of v. The coloring c is called a set coloring if NC(u) ≠ NC(v) for every pair u, v of adjacent vertices of G. The minimum number of colors required of such a coloring is called the set chromatic number x _s (G). A study is made of the set chromatic number of the join G+H of two graphs G and H. Sharp lower and upper bounds are established for x _s (G + H) in terms of x _s (G), x _s (H), and the clique numbers ω(G) and ω(H).     

Approximation of the effective conductivity of ergodic media by periodization

 This paper is concerned with the approximation of the effective conductivity σ(A, μ) associated to an elliptic operator ∇ _xA (x,η)∇ _x where for xℝ ^d , d≥1, A(x,η) is a bounded elliptic random symmetric d×d matrix and η takes value in an ergodic probability space (X, μ). Writing A ^N (x, η) the periodization of A(x, η) on the torus T ^d _N of dimension d and side N we prove that for μ-almost all η

A Generalization of Orthogonal Factorizations in Graphs

Let G be a graph with vertex set V(G) and edge set E(G) and let g and f be two integer-valuated functions defined on V(G) such that g(x) ≤f(x) for all x∈V(G). Then a (g, f)-factor of G is a spanning subgraph H of G such that g(x) ≤d _H (x) ≤f(x) for all x∈V(G). A (g, f)-factorization of G is a partition of E(G) into edge-disjoint (g, f)-factors. Let = {F ₁, F ₂, ..., F _m } be a factorization of G and H be a subgraph of G with mr edges. If F _i , 1 ≤i≤m, has exactly r edges in common with H, then is said to be r-orthogonal to H. In this paper it is proved that every (mg + kr, mf−kr)-graph, where m, k and r are positive integers with k < m and g≥r, contains a subgraph R such that R has a (g, f)-factorization which is r-orthogonal to a given subgraph H with kr edges. This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (19831080) and RSDP of China     

Two-point concentration in random geometric graphs

A random geometric graph G _n is constructed by taking vertices X ₁,…,X _n ∈ℝ ^d at random (i.i.d. according to some probability distribution ν with a bounded density function) and including an edge between X _i and X _j if ‖X _i -X _j ‖ < r where r = r(n) > 0. We prove a conjecture of Penrose ([14]) stating that when r=r(n) is chosen such that nr ^d = o(lnn) then the probability distribution of the clique number ω(G _n ) becomes concentrated on two consecutive integers and we show that the same holds for a number of other graph parameters including the chromatic number χ(G _n ). The author was partially supported by EPSRC, the Department of Statistics, Bekkerla-Bastide fonds, Dr. Hendrik Muller’s Vaderlandsch fonds, and Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds.