New results on chromatic index critical graphs

In this paper, we prove several new results on chromatic index critical graphs. We also prove that if G is a Δ(≥4)-critical graph, then

     

The chromatic index of graphs of even order with many edges

We show that, for r = 1, 2, a graph G with 2n + 2 (≥6) vertices and maximum degree 2n + 1 - r is of Class 2 if and only if |E(G/v)| > () - rn, where v is a vertex of G of minimum degree, and we make a conjecture for 1 ≤ r ≤ n, of which this result is a special case. For r = 1 this result is due to Plantholt.     

Circular chromatic index of graphs of maximum degree 3

This paper proves that if G is a graph (parallel edges allowed) of maximum degree 3, then χ′_c(G) ≤ 11/3 provided that G does not contain H₁ or H₂ as a subgraph, where H₁ and H₂ are obtained by subdividing one edge of K (the graph with three parallel edges between two vertices) and K₄, respectively. As χ′_c(H₁) = χ′_c(H₂) = 4, our result implies that there is no graph G with 11/3 < χ′_c(G) < 4. It also implies that if G is a 2‐edge connected cubic graph, then χ′_c(G) ≤ 11/3. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 49: 325–335, 2005     

Reductions of 3-connected graphs with minimum degree at least four

We show that if G is a 3-connected graph of minimum degree at least 4 and with |V (G)| ≥ 7 then one of the following is true: (1) G has an edge e such that G/e is a 3-connected graph of minimum degree at least 4; (2) G has two edges uv and xy with ux, vy, vx ∈ E(G) such that the graph G/uv/xy obtained by contraction of edges uv and xy in G is a 3-connected graph of minimum degree at least 4; (3) G has a vertex x with N(x) = {x₁, x₂, x₃, x₄} and x₁x₂, x₃x₄ ∈ E(G) such that the graph (G ? x)/x₁x₂/x₃x₄ obtained by contraction of edges x₁x₂ and x₃x₄ in G – x is a 3-connected graph of minimum degree at least 4.

Each of the three reductions is necessary: there exists an infinite family of 3- connected graphs of minimum degree not less than 4 such that only one of the three reductions may be performed for the members of the family and not the two other reductions.     

The total chromatic number of regular graphs of even order and high degree

The total chromatic number χ_T(G) of a graph G is the minimum number of colours needed to colour the edges and the vertices of G so that incident or adjacent elements have distinct colours. We show that if G is a regular graph of even order and , thenχ_T(G)Δ(G)+2.     

The minimum degree distance of graphs of given order and size

In this note, we study the degree distance of a graph which is a degree analogue of the Wiener index. Given n and e, we determine the minimum degree distance of a connected graph of order n and size e.     

Pósa's conjecture for graphs of order at least 2 × 108

In 1962 Pósa conjectured that every graph G on n vertices with minimum degree \begin{align*}\delta(G)\ge \frac{2}{3}n\end{align*} contains the square of a hamiltonian cycle. In 1996 Fan and Kierstead proved the path version of Pósa's Conjecture. They also proved that it would suffice to show that G contains the square of a cycle of length greater than \begin{align*}\frac{2}{3}n\end{align*}. Still in 1996, Komlós, Sárközy, and Szemerédi proved Pósa's Conjecture, using the Regularity and Blow‐up Lemmas, for graphs of order n ≥ n₀, where n₀ is a very large constant. Here we show without using these lemmas that n₀:= 2 × 10⁸ is sufficient. We are motivated by the recent work of Levitt, Sárközy and Szemerédi, but our methods are based on techniques that were available in the 90's. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2011     

Overfull conjecture for graphs with high minimum degree

Chetwynd and Hilton showed that any regular graph G of even order n which has relatively high degree has a 1‐factorization. This is equivalent to saying that under these conditions G has chromatic index equal to its maximum degree . Using this result, we show that any (not necessarily regular) graph G of even order n that has sufficiently high minimum degree has chromatic index equal to its maximum degree providing that G does not contain an “overfull” subgraph, that is, a subgraph which trivially forces the chromatic index to be more than the maximum degree. This result thus verifies the Overfull Conjecture for graphs of even order and sufficiently high minimum degree. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 47: 73–80, 2004     

Generating quadrangulations of surfaces with minimum degree at least 3

In this article, we show that all quadrangulations of the sphere with minimum degree at least 3 can be constructed from the pseudo‐double wheels, preserving the minimum degree at least 3, by a sequence of two kinds of transformations called “vertex‐splitting” and “4‐cycle addition.” We also consider such generating theorems for other closed surfaces. These theorems can be translated into those of 4‐regular graphs on surfaces by taking duals. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, In. J Graph Theory 30: 223–234, 1999     

On the fractional chromatic index of a graph and its complement

Jensen and Toft conjectured that for a graph with an even number of vertices, either the minimum number of colours in a proper edge colouring is equal to the maximum vertex degree, or this is true in its complement. We prove a fractional version of this conjecture.     

The chromatic number of infinite graphs — A survey

We survey some old and new results on the chromatic number of infinite graphs.