Chordal bipartite, strongly chordal, and strongly chordal bipartite graphs

Robert E. Jamison characterized chordal graphs by the edge set of every k-cycle being the symmetric difference of k−2 triangles. Strongly chordal (and chordal bipartite) graphs can be similarly characterized in terms of the distribution of triangles (respectively, quadrilaterals). These results motivate a definition of ‘strongly chordal bipartite graphs’, forming a class intermediate between bipartite interval graphs and chordal bipartite graphs.     

Connected matchings in chordal bipartite graphs

A connected matching in a graph is a collection of edges that are pairwise disjoint but joined by another edge of the graph. Motivated by applications to Hadwiger’s conjecture, Plummer, Stiebitz, and Toft (2003) introduced connected matchings and proved that, given a positive integer $k$, determining whether a graph has a connected matching of size at least $k$ is NP-complete. Cameron (2003) proved that this problem remains NP-complete on bipartite graphs, but can be solved in polynomial-time on chordal graphs. We present a polynomial-time algorithm that finds a maximum connected matching in a chordal bipartite graph. This includes a novel edge-without-vertex-elimination ordering of independent interest. We give several applications of the algorithm, including computing the Hadwiger number of a chordal bipartite graph, solving the unit-time bipartite margin-shop scheduling problem in the case in which the bipartite complement of the precedence graph is chordal bipartite, and determining–in a totally balanced binary matrix–the largest size of a square sub-matrix that is permutation equivalent to a matrix with all zero entries above the main diagonal.     

Chordal bipartite graphs and crowns

We prove that a bipartite graph is chordal if and only if it has an elimination scheme. This leads to a polynomial algorithm to recognize whether an ordered set is cycle-free.     

On bipartite graphs of diameter 3 and defect 2

We consider bipartite graphs of degree Δ≥2, diameter D=3, and defect 2 (having 2 vertices less than the bipartite Moore bound). Such graphs are called bipartite (Δ, 3, ?2) ‐graphs. We prove the uniqueness of the known bipartite (3, 3, ?2) ‐graph and bipartite (4, 3, ?2)‐graph. We also prove several necessary conditions for the existence of bipartite (Δ, 3, ?2) ‐graphs. The most general of these conditions is that either Δ or Δ?2 must be a perfect square. Furthermore, in some cases for which the condition holds, in particular, when Δ=6 and Δ=9, we prove the non‐existence of the corresponding bipartite (Δ, 3, ?2)‐graphs, thus establishing that there are no bipartite (Δ, 3, ?2)‐graphs, for 5≤Δ≤10. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 61: 271–288, 2009     

Bandwidth of bipartite permutation graphs in polynomial time

We give the first polynomial-time algorithm that computes the bandwidth of bipartite permutation graphs. Bandwidth is an NP-complete graph layout problem that is notorious for its difficulty even on small graph classes. For example, it remains NP-complete on caterpillars of hair length at most 3, a very restricted subclass of trees. Much attention has been given to designing approximation algorithms for computing the bandwidth, as it is NP-hard to approximate the bandwidth of general graphs with a constant factor guarantee. The problem is considered important even for approximation on restricted classes, with several distinguished results in this direction. Prior to our work, polynomial-time algorithms for exact computation of bandwidth were known only for caterpillars of hair length at most 2, chain graphs, cographs, and most interestingly, interval graphs.     

Unbalanced bipartite factorizations of complete bipartite graphs

We construct a new infinite family of factorizations of complete bipartite graphs by factors all of whose components are copies of a (fixed) complete bipartite graph K_p,q. There are simple necessary conditions for such factorizations to exist. The family constructed here demonstrates sufficiency in many new cases. In particular, the conditions are always sufficient when q=p+1.     

On the strong chromatic index and maximum induced matching of tree-cographs,permutation graphs and chordal bipartite graphs

We show that there exist linear-time algorithms that compute the strong chromatic index and a maximum induced matching of tree-cographs when the decomposition tree is a part of the input. We also show that there exist efficient algorithms for the strong chromatic index of (bipartite) permutation graphs and of chordal bipartite graphs.     

On the interval completion of chordal graphs

For a given graph G=(V,E), the interval completion problem of G is to find an edge set F such that the supergraph H=(V,E∪F) of G is an interval graph and |F| is minimum. It has been shown that it is equivalent to the minimum sum cut problem, the profile minimization problem and a kind of graph searching problems. Furthermore, it has applications in computational biology, archaeology, and clone fingerprinting. In this paper, we show that it is NP-complete on split graphs and propose an efficient algorithm on primitive starlike graphs.     

Weakly bipartite graphs and the Max-cut problem

A new class of graphs, called weakly bipartite graphs, is introduced. A graph is called weakly bipartite if its bipartite subgraph polytope coincides with a certain polyhedron related to odd cycle constraints. The class of weakly bipartite graphs contains for instance the class of bipartite graphs and the class of planar graphs. It is shown that the max-cut problem can be solved in polynomial time for weakly bipartite graphs. The polynomical algorithm presented is based on the ellipsoid method and an algorithm that computes a shortest path of even length.     

Chordal Coxeter groups

A solution of the isomorphism problem is presented for the class of Coxeter groups W that have a finite set of Coxeter generators S such that the underlying graph of the presentation diagram of the system (W,S) has the property that every cycle of length at least four has a chord. As an application, we construct counterexamples to two conjectures concerning the isomorphism problem for Coxeter groups.      

Completing partial packings of bipartite graphs

Given a bipartite graph H and an integer n, let f(n;H) be the smallest integer such that any set of edge disjoint copies of H on n vertices can be extended to an H-design on at most n+f(n;H) vertices. We establish tight bounds for the growth of f(n;H) as n→∞. In particular, we prove the conjecture of Füredi and Lehel (2010) [4] that f(n;H)=o(n). This settles a long-standing open problem.     

Line graphs of bipartite graphs with Hamiltonian paths

It is shown that, if t is an integer ≥3 and not equal to 7 or 8, then there is a unique maximal graph having the path P_t as a star complement for the eigenvalue ?2. The maximal graph is the line graph of K_m,m if t = 2m?1, and of K_m,m+1 if t = 2m. This result yields a characterization of L(G ) when G is a (t + 1)‐vertex bipartite graph with a Hamiltonian path. The graphs with star complement P_r ∪ P_s or P_r ∪ C_s for ?2 are also determined. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 43: 137–149, 2003     

Balanced coloring of bipartite graphs

Given a bipartite graph G(U∪V, E) with n vertices on each side, an independent set I∈G such that |U∩I|=|V∩I| is called a balanced bipartite independent set. A balanced coloring of G is a coloring of the vertices of G such that each color class induces a balanced bipartite independent set in G. If graph G has a balanced coloring we call it colorable. The coloring number χ_B(G) is the minimum number of colors in a balanced coloring of a colorable graph G. We shall give bounds on χ_B(G) in terms of the average degree $\bar{d}$ of G and in terms of the maximum degree Δ of G. In particular we prove the following:

• $\chi_{{{B}}}({{G}}) \leq {{max}} \{{{2}},\lfloor {{2}}\overline{{{d}}}\rfloor+{{1}}\}$.
• For any 0<ε<1 there is a constant Δ₀ such that the following holds. Let G be a balanced bipartite graph with maximum degree Δ≥Δ₀ and n≥(1+ε)2Δ vertices on each side, then $\chi_{{{B}}}({{G}})\leq \frac{{{{20}}}}{\epsilon^{{{2}}}} \frac{\Delta}{{{{ln}}}\,\Delta}$.

© 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 64: 277–291, 2010     

Regular orientable embeddings of complete bipartite graphs

In this paper, it will be shown that the isomorphism classes of regular orientable embeddings of the complete bipartite graph K_n,n are in one‐to‐one correspondence with the permutations on n elements satisfying a given criterion, and the isomorphism classes of them are completely classified when n is a product of any two (not necessarily distinct) prime numbers. For other n, a lower bound of the number of those isomorphism classes of K_n,n is obtained. As a result, many new regular orientable embeddings of the complete bipartite graph are constructed giving an answer of Nedela‐?koviera's question raised in 12 . © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory     

Balanced bipartite graphs may be completely star-factored

We conclude the study of complete K_1,q-factorizations of complete bipartite graphs of the form K_n,n and show that, so long as the obvious Basic Arithmetic Conditions are satisfied, such complete factorizations must exist. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 5: 407–415, 1997     

Decomposition of bipartite graphs into special subgraphs

Let F and G be two graphs and let H be a subgraph of G. A decomposition of G into subgraphs F₁,F₂,…,F_m is called an F-factorization of G orthogonal to H if F_i≅F and |E(F_i∩H)|=1 for each i=1,2,…,m. Gyárfás and Schelp conjectured that the complete bipartite graph K_4k,4k has a C₄-factorization orthogonal to H provided that H is a k-factor of K_4k,4k. In this paper, we show that (1) the conjecture is true when H satisfies some structural conditions; (2) for any two positive integers r?k, K_kr²,kr² has a K_r,r-factorization orthogonal to H if H is a k-factor of K_kr²,kr²; (3) K_2d²,2d² has a C₄-factorization such that each edge of H belongs to a different C₄ if H is a subgraph of K_2d²,2d² with maximum degree Δ(H)?d.     

An extremal bandwidth problem for bipartite graphs

This paper discusses the problem of finding the maximum number of edges E(m, n, B) in a bipartite graph having partite set sizes m and n and bandwidth B. Exact values for E(m, n, B) are found for many cases. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 35: 278–289, 2000