The sand-pile model and Tutte polynomials

A new explicit bijection between spanning trees and recurrent configurations of the sand-pile model is given. This mapping is such that the difference between the number of grains on a configuration and the external activity of the associate tree is the number of edges of the graph. It gives a bijective proof of a result of Merino López expressing the generating function of recurrent configurations as an evaluation of the Tutte polynomial.     

Homomorphisms and polynomial invariants of graphs

This paper initiates a general study of the connection between graph homomorphisms and the Tutte polynomial. This connection can be extended to other polynomial invariants of graphs related to the Tutte polynomial such as the transition, the circuit partition, the boundary, and the coboundary polynomials. As an application, we describe in terms of homomorphism counting some fundamental evaluations of the Tutte polynomial in abelian groups and statistical physics. We conclude the paper by providing a homomorphism view of the uniqueness conjectures formulated by Bollobás, Pebody and Riordan.     

Chip firing and the tutte polynomial

It is shown that the generating function of critical configurations of a version of a chip firing game on a graphG is an evaluation of the Tutte polynomial ofG, thus proving a conjecture of Biggs [3]. Supported by a grant from D.G.A.P.A.     

Tutte uniqueness of line graphs

We prove that if a graph H has the same Tutte polynomial as the line graph of a d-regular, d-edge-connected graph, then H is the line graph of a d-regular graph. Using this result, we prove that the line graph of a regular complete t-partite graph is uniquely determined by its Tutte polynomial. We prove the same result for the line graph of any complete bipartite graph.     

Tutte sets in graphs II: The complexity of finding maximum Tutte sets

A well-known formula of Tutte and Berge expresses the size of a maximum matching in a graph G in terms of what is usually called the deficiency. A subset X of V(G) for which this deficiency is attained is called a Tutte set of G. While much is known about maximum matchings, less is known about the structure of Tutte sets. We explored the structural aspects of Tutte sets in another paper. Here, we consider the algorithmic complexity of finding Tutte sets in a graph. We first give two polynomial algorithms for finding a maximal Tutte set. We then consider the complexity of finding a maximum Tutte set, and show it is NP-hard for general graphs, as well as for several interesting restricted classes such as planar graphs. By contrast, we show we can find maximum Tutte sets in polynomial time for graphs of level 0 or 1, elementary graphs, and 1-tough graphs.     

On chromatic and flow polynomial unique graphs

It is known that the chromatic polynomial and flow polynomial of a graph are two important evaluations of its Tutte polynomial, both of which contain much information of the graph. Much research is done on graphs determined entirely by their chromatic polynomials and Tutte polynomials, respectively. Oxley asked which classes of graphs or matroids are determined by their chromatic and flow polynomials together. In this paper, we found several classes of graphs with this property. We first study which graphic parameters are determined by the flow polynomials. Then we study flow-unique graphs. Finally, we show that several classes of graphs, ladders, Möbius ladders and squares of n-cycle are determined by their chromatic polynomials and flow polynomials together. A direct consequence of our theorem is a result of de Mier and Noy [A. de Mier, M. Noy, On graphs determined by their Tutte polynomial, Graphs Comb. 20 (2004) 105-119] that these classes of graphs are Tutte polynomial unique.     

A Characterization of the Tutte Polynomial via Combinatorial Embeddings

We give a new characterization of the Tutte polynomial of graphs. Our characterization is formally close (but inequivalent) to the original definition given by Tutte as the generating function of spanning trees counted according to activities. Tutte’s notion of activity requires a choice of a linear order on the edge set (though the generating function of the activities is, in fact, independent of this order). We define a new notion of activity, the embedding-activity, which requires a choice of a combinatorial embedding of the graph, that is, a cyclic order of the edges around each vertex. We prove that the Tutte polynomial equals the generating function of spanning trees counted according to embedding-activities. This generating function is, in fact, independent of the embedding. Received March 15, 2006     

Preface: Old and New Perspectives on the Tutte Polynomial

This paper introduces a special issue on the Tutte polynomial derived from the Second Workshop on Tutte Polynomials and Applications, 2005, held at the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, Bellaterra, Catalonia. We discuss the prehistory of Tutte polynomials and two current areas of research, to what extent a graph is determined by its chromatic or Tutte polynomial and generic versions of Tutte polynomials. Received February 28, 2007     

Invariants of Composite Networks Arising as a Tensor Product

We generalize Brylawski’s formula of the Tutte polynomial of a tensor product of matroids to colored connected graphs, matroids, and disconnected graphs. Unlike the non-colored tensor product where all edges have to be replaced by the same graph, our colored generalization of the tensor product operation allows individual edge replacement. The colored Tutte polynomials we compute exists by the results of Bollobás and Riordan. The proof depends on finding the correct generalization of the two components of the pointed Tutte polynomial, first studied by Brylawski and Oxley, and on careful enumeration of the connected components in a tensor product. Our results make the calculation of certain invariants of many composite networks easier, provided that the invariants are obtained from the colored Tutte polynomials via substitution and the composite networks are represented as tensor products of colored graphs. In particular, our method can be used to calculate (with relative ease) the expected number of connected components after an accident hits a composite network in which some major links are identical subnetworks in themselves.      

The chromatic polynomial of fatgraphs and its categorification

Motivated by Khovanov homology and relations between the Jones polynomial and graph polynomials, we construct a homology theory for embedded graphs from which the chromatic polynomial can be recovered as the Euler characteristic. For plane graphs, we show that our chromatic homology can be recovered from the Khovanov homology of an associated link. We apply this connection with Khovanov homology to show that the torsion-free part of our chromatic homology is independent of the choice of planar embedding of a graph. We extend our construction and categorify the Bollobás-Riordan polynomial (a generalization of the Tutte polynomial to embedded graphs). We prove that both our chromatic homology and the Khovanov homology of an associated link can be recovered from this categorification.     

A Polynomial Invariant of Graphs On Orientable Surfaces

We consider cyclic graphs, that is, graphs with cyclic ordersat the vertices, corresponding to 2-cell embeddings of graphsinto orientable surfaces, or combinatorial maps. We constructa three variable polynomial invariant of these objects, thecyclic graph polynomial, which has many of the useful propertiesof the Tutte polynomial. Although the cyclic graph polynomialgeneralizes the Tutte polynomial, its definition is very different,and it depends on the embedding in an essential way. 2000 MathematicalSubject Classification: 05C10.     

On the colored Tutte polynomial of a graph of bounded treewidth

We observe that a formula given by Negami [Polynomial invariants of graphs, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 299 (1987) 601-622] for the Tutte polynomial of a k-sum of two graphs generalizes to a colored Tutte polynomial. Consequently, an algorithm of Andrzejak [An algorithm for the Tutte polynomials of graphs of bounded treewidth, Discrete Math. 190 (1998) 39-54] may be directly adapted to compute the colored Tutte polynomial of a graph of bounded treewidth in polynomial time. This result has also been proven by Makowsky [Colored Tutte polynomials and Kauffman brackets for graphs of bounded tree width, Discrete Appl. Math. 145 (2005) 276-290], using a different algorithm based on logical techniques.     

A polynomial of graphs on surfaces

ribbon graphs , i.e., graphs realized as disks (vertices) joined together by strips (edges) glued to their boundaries, corresponding to neighbourhoods of graphs embedded into surfaces. We construct a four-variable polynomial invariant of these objects, the ribbon graph polynomial, which has all the main properties of the Tutte polynomial. Although the ribbon graph polynomial extends the Tutte polynomial, its definition is very different, and it depends on the topological structure in an essential way. Received: 14 September 2000 / Published online: 18 January 2002     

The interlace polynomial of a graph

Motivated by circle graphs, and the enumeration of Euler circuits, we define a one-variable “interlace polynomial” for any graph. The polynomial satisfies a beautiful and unexpected reduction relation, quite different from the cut and fuse reduction characterizing the Tutte polynomial.It emerges that the interlace graph polynomial may be viewed as a special case of the Martin polynomial of an isotropic system, which underlies its connections with the circuit partition polynomial and the Kauffman brackets of a link diagram. The graph polynomial, in addition to being perhaps more broadly accessible than the Martin polynomial for isotropic systems, also has a two-variable generalization that is unknown for the Martin polynomial. We consider extremal properties of the interlace polynomial, its values for various special graphs, and evaluations which relate to basic graph properties such as the component and independence numbers.     

On Graphs Determined by Their Tutte Polynomials

We say that a graph G is T-unique if any other graph having the same Tutte polynomial as G is necessarily isomorphic to G. In this paper we show that several well-known families of graphs are T-unique: wheels, squares of cycles, complete multipartite graphs, ladders, Möbius ladders, and hypercubes. In order to prove these results, we show that several parameters of a graph, like the number of cycles of length 3, 4 and 5, and the edge-connectivity are determined by its Tutte polynomial.Research partially supported by projects BFM2001-2340 and by CUR Gen. Cat. 1999SGR00356Final version received: January 10, 2003     

The connected partition lattice of a graph and the reconstruction conjecture

Previously we showed that many invariants of a graph can be computed from its abstract induced subgraph poset, which is the isomorphism class of the induced subgraph poset, suitably weighted by subgraph counting numbers. In this paper, we study the abstract bond lattice of a graph, which is the isomorphism class of the lattice of distinct unlabelled connected partitions of a graph, suitably weighted by subgraph counting numbers. We show that these two abstract posets can be constructed from each other except in a few trivial cases. The constructions rely on certain generalisations of a lemma of Kocay in graph reconstruction theory to abstract induced subgraph posets. As a corollary, trees are reconstructible from their abstract bond lattice. We show that the chromatic symmetric function and the symmetric Tutte polynomial of a graph can be computed from its abstract induced subgraph poset. Stanley has asked if every tree is determined up to isomorphism by its chromatic symmetric function. We prove a counting lemma, and indicate future directions for a study of Stanley's question.     

On the reconstruction of graph invariants

The reconstruction conjecture has remained open for simple undirected graphs since it was suggested in 1941 by Kelly and Ulam. In an attempt to prove the conjecture, many graph invariants have been shown to be reconstructible from the vertex-deleted deck, and in particular, some prominent graph polynomials. Among these are the Tutte polynomial, the chromatic polynomial and the characteristic polynomial. We show that the interlace polynomial, the U-polynomial, the universal edge elimination polynomial ξ and the colored versions of the latter two are reconstructible.We also present a method of reconstructing boolean graph invariants, or in other words, proving recognizability of graph properties (of colored or uncolored graphs), using first order logic.     

Tutte polynomial of some multigraphs

Abstract

Using two related parameters, ζ and γ, we extend the recursion for com- puting the Tutte polynomial of any graph to the computation of the Tutte polynomial of any multigraph. With this recursion, we found explicit formulae for several fami- lies of multigraphs. In particular, the Tutte polynomials of some cyclic multigraphs, 2?tree multigraphs, and any l?bridge multigraph.     

The Tutte–Potts connection in the presence of an external magnetic field

The classical relationship between the Tutte polynomial of graph theory and the Potts model of statistical mechanics has resulted in valuable interactions between the disciplines. Unfortunately, it does not include the external magnetic fields that appear in most Potts model applications. Here we define the V-polynomial, which lifts the classical relationship between the Tutte polynomial and the zero field Potts model to encompass external magnetic fields. The V-polynomial generalizes Noble and Welshʼs W-polynomial, which extends the Tutte polynomial by incorporating vertex weights and adapting contraction to accommodate them. We prove that the variable field Potts model partition function (with its many specializations) is an evaluation of the V-polynomial, and hence a polynomial with deletion–contraction reduction and Fortuin–Kasteleyn type representation. This unifies an important segment of Potts model theory and brings previously successful combinatorial machinery, including complexity results, to bear on a wider range of statistical mechanics models.     

Homomorphisms and Polynomial Invariants of Graphs

This paper initiates a study of the connection between graph homomorphisms and the Tutte polynomial. This connection enables us to extend the study to other important polynomial invariants associated with graphs, and closely related to the Tutte polynomial. We then obtain applications of these relationships in several areas, including Abelian Groups and Statistical Physics. A new type of uniqueness of graphs, strongly related to chromatically-unique graphs and Tutte-unique graphs, is introduced in order to provide a new point of view of the conjectures about uniqueness of graphs stated by Bollobas, Peabody and Riordan.