The 2-Extendability of Graphs on the Projective Plane, the Torus and the Klein Bottle

A graph is said to be k-extendable if any independent set of k edges extends to a perfect matching. We shall show that every 5-connected graph of even order embedded on the projective plane and every 6-connected one embedded on the torus and the Klein bottle is 2-extendable and characterize the forbidden structures for 5-connected toroidal graphs to be 2-extendable.     

Removable edges in a 5-connected graph and a construction method of 5-connected graphs

An edge e of a k-connected graph G is said to be a removable edge if G?e is still k-connected. A k-connected graph G is said to be a quasi (k+1)-connected if G has no nontrivial k-separator. The existence of removable edges of 3-connected and 4-connected graphs and some properties of quasi k-connected graphs have been investigated [D.A. Holton, B. Jackson, A. Saito, N.C. Wormale, Removable edges in 3-connected graphs, J. Graph Theory 14(4) (1990) 465-473; H. Jiang, J. Su, Minimum degree of minimally quasi (k+1)-connected graphs, J. Math. Study 35 (2002) 187-193; T. Politof, A. Satyanarayana, Minors of quasi 4-connected graphs, Discrete Math. 126 (1994) 245-256; T. Politof, A. Satyanarayana, The structure of quasi 4-connected graphs, Discrete Math. 161 (1996) 217-228; J. Su, The number of removable edges in 3-connected graphs, J. Combin. Theory Ser. B 75(1) (1999) 74-87; J. Yin, Removable edges and constructions of 4-connected graphs, J. Systems Sci. Math. Sci. 19(4) (1999) 434-438]. In this paper, we first investigate the relation between quasi connectivity and removable edges. Based on the relation, the existence of removable edges in k-connected graphs (k?5) is investigated. It is proved that a 5-connected graph has no removable edge if and only if it is isomorphic to K₆. For a k-connected graph G such that end vertices of any edge of G have at most k-3 common adjacent vertices, it is also proved that G has a removable edge. Consequently, a recursive construction method of 5-connected graphs is established, that is, any 5-connected graph can be obtained from K₆ by a number of θ⁺-operations. We conjecture that, if k is even, a k-connected graph G without removable edge is isomorphic to either K_k+1 or the graph H_k/2+1 obtained from K_k+2 by removing k/2+1 disjoint edges, and, if k is odd, G is isomorphic to K_k+1.     

Some properties of contraction-critical 5-connected graphs

Let k be a positive integer and let G be a k-connected graph. An edge of G is called k-contractible if its contraction still results in a k-connected graph. A non-complete k-connected graph G is called contraction-critical if G has no k-contractible edge. Let G be a contraction-critical 5-connected graph, Su proved in [J. Su, Vertices of degree 5 in contraction-critical 5-connected graphs, J. Guangxi Normal Univ. 17 (3) (1997) 12-16 (in Chinese)] that each vertex of G is adjacent to at least two vertices of degree 5, and thus G has at least vertices of degree 5. In this paper, we further study the properties of contraction-critical 5-connected graph. In the process, we investigate the structure of the subgraph induced by the vertices of degree 5 of G. As a result, we prove that a contraction-critical 5-connected graph G has at least vertices of degree 5.     

A new lower bound on the number of trivially noncontractible edges in contraction critical 5-connected graphs

An edge of a k-connected graph is said to be k-contractible if its contraction results in a k-connected graph. A k-connected non-complete graph with no k-contractible edge, is called contraction critical k-connected. An edge of a k-connected graph is called trivially noncontractible if its two end vertices have a common neighbor of degree k. Ando [K. Ando, Trivially noncontractible edges in a contraction critically 5-connected graph, Discrete Math. 293 (2005) 61-72] proved that a contraction critical 5-connected graph on n vertices has at least n/2 trivially noncontractible edges. Li [Xiangjun Li, Some results about the contractible edge and the domination number of graphs, Guilin, Guangxi Normal University, 2006 (in Chinese)] improved the lower bound to n+1. In this paper, the bound is improved to the statement that any contraction critical 5-connected graph on n vertices has at least trivially noncontractible edges.     

On k-rails in graphs

A k-rail is the union of k paths each pair of which has exactly the endvertices in common. We first give a sufficient degree-condition for the existence of k-rails in graphs. Next we determine the number of edges required in 3-connected graphs to guarantee the existence of 5-rails, and finally we solve the corresponding problem for graphs with no prescribed connectivity.     

On certain spanning subgraphs of embeddings with applications to domination

We prove the existence of certain spanning subgraphs of graphs embedded in the torus and the Klein bottle. Matheson and Tarjan proved that a triangulated disc with n vertices can be dominated by a set of no more than n/3 of its vertices and thus, so can any finite graph which triangulates the plane. We use our existence theorems to prove results closely allied to those of Matheson and Tarjan, but for the torus and the Klein bottle.     

An extension of Sallee’s theorem to infinite locally finite vap-free plane graphs

A graph isk-cyclable if givenk vertices there is a cycle that contains thek vertices. Sallee showed that every finite 3-connected planar graph is 5-cyclable. In this paper, by characterizing the circuit graphs and investigating the structure of LV-graphs, we extend his result to 3-connected infinite locally finite VAP-free plane graphs.     

Circumferences of regular claw-free graphs

A known result obtained independently by Fan and Jung is that every 3-connected k-regular graph on n vertices contains a cycle of length at least min{3k,n}. This raises the question of how much can be said about the circumferences of 3-connected k-regular claw-free graphs. In this paper, we show that every 3-connected k-regular claw-free graph on n vertices contains a cycle of length at least min{6k-17,n}.     

On the Structure of Contractible Vertex Pairs in Chordal Graphs

An edge/non-edge in a k-connected graph is contractible if its contraction does not result in a graph of lower connectivity. We focus our study on contractible edges and non-edges in chordal graphs. Firstly, we characterize contractible edges in chordal graphs using properties of tree decompositions with respect to minimal vertex separators. Secondly, we show that in every chordal graph each non-edge is contractible. We also characterize non-edges whose contraction leaves a k-connected chordal graph.     

The contractible subgraph of 5-connected graphs

An edge e of a k-connected graph G is said to be k-removable if G — e is still k-connected. A subgraph H of a k-connected graph is said to be k-contractible if its contraction results still in a k-connected graph. A k-connected graph with neither removable edge nor contractible subgraph is said to be minor minimally k-connected. In this paper, we show that there is a contractible subgraph in a 5-connected graph which contains a vertex who is not contained in any triangles. Hence, every vertex of minor minimally 5-connected graph is contained in some triangle.     

Lower Bounds for Locally Highly Connected Graphs

We propose a conjecture regarding the lower bound for the number of edges in locally k-connected graphs and we prove it for \(k=2\). In particular, we show that every connected locally 2-connected graph is \(M_3\)-rigid. For the special case of surface triangulations, this fact was known before using topological methods. We generalize this result to all locally 2-connected graphs and give a purely combinatorial proof. Our motivation to study locally k-connected graphs comes from lower bound conjectures for flag triangulations of manifolds, and we discuss some more specific problems in this direction.     

The New Lower Bound of the Number of Vertices of Degree 5 in Contraction Critical 5-Connected Graphs

An edge of a k-connected graph is said to be k-contractible if its contraction results in a k-connected graph. A k-connected non-complete graph with no k-contractible edge, is called contraction critical k-connected. Let G be a contraction critical 5-connected graph, in this paper we show that G has at least ${\frac{1}{2}|G|}$ vertices of degree 5.     

Constructions of Large Graphs on Surfaces

We consider the degree/diameter problem for graphs embedded in a surface, namely, given a surface Σ and integers Δ and k, determine the maximum order N(Δ,k,Σ) of a graph embeddable in Σ with maximum degree Δ and diameter k. We introduce a number of constructions which produce many new largest known planar and toroidal graphs. We record all these graphs in the available tables of largest known graphs. Given a surface Σ of Euler genus g and an odd diameter k, the current best asymptotic lower bound for N(Δ,k,Σ) is given by $$\sqrt{\frac{3}{8}}g \Delta^{\lfloor k/2 \rfloor}.$$ Our constructions produce new graphs of order $$\left\{\begin{array}{ll}6 \Delta^{\lfloor k/2 \rfloor} \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad {\rm if \Sigma\;is\;the\;Klein\;bottle} \\ \left(\frac{7}{2} + \sqrt{6g + \frac{1}{4}}\right) \Delta^{\lfloor k/2 \rfloor} \quad {\rm otherwise},\end{array}\right.$$ thus improving the former value.     

On the connectivity of bipartite distance-balanced graphs

A connected graph Γ is said to be distance-balanced whenever for any pair of adjacent vertices u,v of Γ the number of vertices closer to u than to v is equal to the number of vertices closer to v than to u. In [K. Handa, Bipartite graphs with balanced (a,b)-partitions, Ars Combin.51 (1999), 113-119] Handa asked whether every bipartite distance-balanced graph, that is not a cycle, is 3-connected. In this paper the Handa question is answered in the negative. Moreover, we show that a minimal bipartite distance-balanced graph, that is not a cycle and is not 3-connected, has 18 vertices and is unique. In addition, we give a complete classification of non-3-connected bipartite distance-balanced graphs for which the minimal distance between two vertices in a 2-cut is three. All such graphs are regular and for each k≥3 there exists an infinite family of such graphs which are k-regular.Furthermore, we determine a number of structural properties that a bipartite distance-balanced graph, which is not 3-connected, must have. As an application, we give a positive answer to the Handa question for the subfamily of bipartite strongly distance-balanced graphs.     

Removable edges in cycles of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-connected graph

An edge e of a k-connected graph G is said to be a removable edge if G ⊖ e is still k-connected, where G ⊖ e denotes the graph obtained from G by deleting e to get G − e, and for any end vertex of e with degree k − 1 in G − e, say x, delete x, and then add edges between any pair of non-adjacent vertices in N _G−e (x). The existence of removable edges of k-connected graphs and some properties of 3-connected graphs and 4-connected graphs have been investigated. In the present paper, we investigate some properties of k-connected graphs and study the distribution of removable edges on a cycle in a k-connected graph (k ≥ 4).     

Large non-planar graphs and an application to crossing-critical graphs

We prove that, for every positive integer k, there is an integer N such that every 4-connected non-planar graph with at least N vertices has a minor isomorphic to K4,k, the graph obtained from a cycle of length 2k+1 by adding an edge joining every pair of vertices at distance exactly k, or the graph obtained from a cycle of length k by adding two vertices adjacent to each other and to every vertex on the cycle. We also prove a version of this for subdivisions rather than minors, and relax the connectivity to allow 3-cuts with one side planar and of bounded size. We deduce that for every integer k there are only finitely many 3-connected 2-crossing-critical graphs with no subdivision isomorphic to the graph obtained from a cycle of length 2k by joining all pairs of diagonally opposite vertices.     

Longest cycles in regular graphs

The paper is concerned with the longest cycles in regular three- (or two-) connected graphs. In particular, the following results are proved: (i) every 3-connected k-regular graph on n vertices has a cycle of length at least min(3k, n); (ii) every 2-connected k-regular graph on n vertices, where n < 3k + 4, has a cycle of length at least min(3k, n).     

On the sum of all distances in chromatic blocks

In this paper all 2-connected k-chromatic graphs of order n with the maximum sum of all distances between their vertices are characterized for every k ≥ 2, thus strengthening a result of J. Plesnik. Moreover, several auxiliary results are proved on chromatic critical graphs and 2-connected graphs.     

On the orientable genus of graphs embedded in the klein bottle

Let G be a graph embedded in the Klein bottle with “representativity” at least four. We give a formula for the orientable genus of G, which also implies a polynomially bounded algorithm. The formula is in terms of the number of times certain closed curves on the Klein bottle intersect the graph. In particular, it shows that a cut-and-paste technique for re-embedding graphs is the best possible.     

Connectivity of iterated line graphs

Let k≥0 be an integer and L^k(G) be the kth iterated line graph of a graph G. Niepel and Knor proved that if G is a 4-connected graph, then κ(L²(G))≥4δ(G)−6. We show that the connectivity of G can be relaxed. In fact, we prove in this note that if G is an essentially 4-edge-connected and 3-connected graph, then κ(L²(G))≥4δ(G)−6. Similar bounds are obtained for essentially 4-edge-connected and 2-connected (1-connected) graphs.