Designs associated with maximum independent sets of a graph

A (v, β _o , μ)-design over regular graph G = (V, E) of degree d is an ordered pair D = (V, B), where |V| = v and B is the set of maximum independent sets of G called blocks such that if i, j ∈ V, i ≠ j and if i and j are not adjacent in G then there are exactly μ blocks containing i and j. In this paper, we study (v, β _o , μ)-designs over the graphs K _n × K _n , T(n)-triangular graphs, L ₂(n)-square lattice graphs, Petersen graph, Shrikhande graph, Clebsch graph and the Schläfli graph and non-existence of (v, β _o , μ)-designs over the three Chang graphs T ₁(8), T ₂(8) and T ₃(8).     

Very rapid mixing of the Glauber dynamics for proper colorings on bounded‐degree graphs

Recent results have shown that the Glauber dynamics for graph colorings has optimal mixing time when (i) the graph is triangle‐free and Δ‐regular and the number of colors k is a small constant fraction smaller than 2Δ, or (ii) the graph has maximum degree Δ and k=2Δ. We extend both these results to prove that the Glauber dynamics has optimal mixing time when the graph has maximum degree Δ and the number of colors is a small constant fraction smaller than 2Δ. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 20, 98–114, 2002     

Fast mixing for independent sets,colorings, and other models on trees

We study the mixing time of the Glauber dynamics for general spin systems on the regular tree, including the Ising model, the hard‐core model (independent sets), and the antiferromagnetic Potts model at zero temperature (colorings). We generalize a framework, developed in our recent paper (Martinelli, Sinclair, and Weitz, Tech. Report UCB//CSD‐03‐1256, Dept. of EECS, UC Berkeley, July 2003) in the context of the Ising model, for establishing mixing time O(nlog n), which ties this property closely to phase transitions in the underlying model. We use this framework to obtain rapid mixing results for several models over a significantly wider range of parameter values than previously known, including situations in which the mixing time is strongly dependent on the boundary condition. We also discuss applications of our framework to reconstruction problems on trees. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2007     

K4−‐factor in a graph

Let G be a graph of order 4k and let δ(G) denote the minimum degree of G. Let F be a given connected graph. Suppose that |V(G)| is a multiple of |V(F)|. A spanning subgraph of G is called an F‐factor if its components are all isomorphic to F. In this paper, we prove that if δ(G)≥5/2k, then G contains a K₄^?‐factor (K₄^? is the graph obtained from K₄ by deleting just one edge). The condition on the minimum degree is best possible in a sense. In addition, the proof can be made algorithmic. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 39: 111–128, 2002     

Sufficient conditions for a graph to be edge-colorable with maximum degree colors

We study properties of graphs related to the existence of certain vertex and edge partitions. These properties give sufficient conditions for a graph to be Class 1 (i.e., edge-colorable with maximum degree colors). We apply these conditions for solving the classification problem for graphs with acyclic core (the subgraph induced by the maximum degree vertices), and for subclasses of join graphs and cobipartite graphs.     

Non‐rainbow colorings of 3‐, 4‐ and 5‐connected plane graphs

We study vertex‐colorings of plane graphs that do not contain a rainbow face, i.e., a face with vertices of mutually distinct colors. If G is a 3 ‐connected plane graph with n vertices, then the number of colors in such a coloring does not exceed . If G is 4 ‐connected, then the number of colors is at most , and for n≡3(mod8), it is at most . Finally, if G is 5 ‐connected, then the number of colors is at most . The bounds for 3 ‐connected and 4 ‐connected plane graphs are the best possible as we exhibit constructions of graphs with colorings matching the bounds. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 63: 129–145, 2010     

The A4‐structure of a graph

We define the A₄‐structure of a graph G to be the 4‐uniform hypergraph on the vertex set of G whose edges are the vertex subsets inducing 2K₂, C₄, or P₄. We show that perfection of a graph is determined by its A₄‐structure. We relate the A₄‐structure to the canonical decomposition of a graph as defined by Tyshkevich [Discrete Math 220 (2000) 201–238]; for example, a graph is indecomposable if and only if its A₄‐structure is connected. We also characterize the graphs having the same A₄‐structure as a split graph.     

On 2‐factors of a bipartite graph

In this article, we consider the following problem: Given a bipartite graph G and a positive integer k, when does G have a 2‐factor with exactly k components? We will prove that if G = (V₁, V₂, E) is a bipartite graph with |V₁| = |V₂| = n ≥ 2k + 1 and δ (G) ≥ ⌈n/2⌉ + 1, then G contains a 2‐factor with exactly k components. We conjecture that if G = (V₁, V₂; E) is a bipartite graph such that |V₁| = |V₂| = n ≥ 2 and δ (G) ≥ ⌈n/2⌉ + 1, then, for any bipartite graph H = (U₁, U₂; F) with |U₁| ≤ n, |U₂| ≤ n and Δ (H) ≤ 2, G contains a subgraph isomorphic to H. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 31: 101–106, 1999     

Ore‐type degree conditions for a graph to be H‐linked

Given a fixed multigraph H with V(H) = {h₁,…, h_m}, we say that a graph G is H‐linked if for every choice of m vertices v₁, …, _vm in G, there exists a subdivision of H in G such that for every i, v_i is the branch vertex representing h_i. This generalizes the notion of k‐linked graphs (as well as some other notions). For a family of graphs, a graph G is ‐linked if G is H‐linked for every . In this article, we estimate the minimum integer r = r(n, k, d) such that each n‐vertex graph with is ‐linked, where is the family of simple graphs with k edges and minimum degree at least . © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 58: 14–26, 2008     

Ladder subordinators and factorization identities for processes with independent increments on Markov chains

Omsk. Translated from Sibirskii Matematicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 66–87, July–August, 1991.     

Polychromatic colorings of complete graphs with respect to 1‐, 2‐factors and Hamiltonian cycles

If G is a graph and is a set of subgraphs of G, then an edge‐coloring of G is called ‐polychromatic if every graph from gets all colors present in G. The ‐polychromatic number of G, denoted , is the largest number of colors such that G has an ‐polychromatic coloring. In this article, is determined exactly when G is a complete graph and is the family of all 1‐factors. In addition is found up to an additive constant term when G is a complete graph and is the family of all 2‐factors, or the family of all Hamiltonian cycles.     

Maximal and maximum independent sets in graphs with at most r cycles

Let m(G) denote the number of maximal independent sets of vertices in a graph G and let c(n,r) be the maximum value of m(G) over all connected graphs with n vertices and at most r cycles. A theorem of Griggs, Grinstead, and Guichard gives a formula for c(n,r) when r is large relative to n, while a theorem of Goh, Koh, Sagan, and Vatter does the same when r is small relative to n. We complete the determination of c(n,r) for all n and r and characterize the extremal graphs. Problems for maximum independent sets are also completely resolved. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 53: 283–314, 2006     

(d,1)‐total labeling of graphs with a given maximum average degree

The (d,1)‐total number of a graph G is the width of the smallest range of integers that suffices to label the vertices and the edges of G so that no two adjacent vertices have the same color, no two incident edges have the same color, and the distance between the color of a vertex and its incident edges is at least d. In this paper, we prove that for connected graphs with a given maximum average degree. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory     

Long paths through four vertices in a 2‐connected graph

Let G be a 2‐connected graph, let u and v be distinct vertices in V(G), and let X be a set of at most four vertices lying on a common (u, v)‐path in G. If deg(x) ≥ d for all x ∈ V(G) \ {u, v}, then there is a (u, v)‐path P in G with X ⊂ V(P) and |E(P)| ≥ d. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 33: 55–65, 2000     

Independent sets and 2‐factors in edge‐chromatic‐critical graphs

In 1968, Vizing made the following two conjectures for graphs which are critical with respect to the chromatic index: (1) every critical graph has a 2‐factor, and (2) every independent vertex set in a critical graph contains at most half of the vertices. We prove both conjectures for critical graphs with many edges, and determine upper bounds for the size of independent vertex sets in those graphs. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 45: 113–118, 2004