Some results on the Oberwolfach problem

Aequationes mathematicae -     

On the honeymoon Oberwolfach problem

The honeymoon Oberwolfach problem HOP asks the following question. Given newlywed couples at a conference and round tables of sizes , is it possible to arrange the participants at these tables for meals so that each participant sits next to their spouse at every meal and sits next to every other participant exactly once? A solution to HOP is a decomposition of , the complete graph with additional copies of a fixed 1‐factor , into 2‐factors, each consisting of disjoint ‐alternating cycles of lengths . It is also equivalent to a semi‐uniform 1‐factorization of of type ; that is, a 1‐factorization such that for all , the 2‐factor consists of disjoint cycles of lengths . In this paper, we first introduce the honeymoon Oberwolfach problem and then present several results. Most notably, we completely solve the case with uniform cycle lengths, that is, HOP. In addition, we show that HOP has a solution in each of the following cases: ; is odd and ; as well as for all . We also show that HOP has a solution whenever is odd and the Oberwolfach problem with tables of sizes has a solution.     

Some Results on the Oberwolfach Problem

The well-known Oberwolfach problem is to show that it is possibleto 2-factorize K_n (n odd) or K_n less a 1-factor (n even) intopredetermined 2-factors, all isomorphic to each other; a fewexceptional cases where it is not possible are known. A completelynew technique is introduced that enables it to be shown thatthere is a solution when each 2-factor consists of k r-cyclesand one (n–kr)-cycle for all n 6kr–1. Solutionsare also given (with three exceptions) for all possible valuesof n when there is one r-cycle, 3 r 9, and one (n–r)-cycle,or when there are two r-cycles, 3 r 4, and one (n–2r)-cycle.     

A generalization of the Oberwolfach problem

Let n > 1 be an integer and let a₂,a₃,…,a_n be nonnegative integers such that . Then can be factored into ‐factors, ‐factors,…, ‐factors, plus a 1‐factor. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 41: 151–161, 2002     

Some results on the capitulation problem

Let K be an unramified abelian extension of a number field F with Galois group G. K corresponds to a subgroup H of the ideal class group of F. We study the subgroup J of ideal classes in H which become trivial in K. There is an epimorphism from the cohomology group H^?1(G, Cl_K) to J which is an isomorphism if G is cyclic; Cl_K is the ideal class group of K. Some results on the structure of J and Cl_K are obtained.     

On a variation of the Oberwolfach problem

We consider the following “spouse-avoiding” variant of the Oberwolfach problem (briefly NOP): “At a gathering there are n couples. Is it possible to arrange a seating for the 2n people present at s round tables T₁,T₂,…,T_s (where T_i can accomodate k_i ? 3 people and Σk_i=2n) for m different meals so that each person has every other person except his spouse for a neighbour exactly once?” We prove several results concerning the existence of solutions to NOP. In particular, we settle the cases when the tables accomodate the same “small” number of people or when there are only two tables one of them accomodating a “small” number of people or when the total number of people is “small”.     

Oberwolfach rectangular table negotiation problem

We completely solve certain case of a “two delegation negotiation” version of the Oberwolfach problem, which can be stated as follows. Let H(k,3) be a bipartite graph with bipartition X={x₁,x₂,…,x_k},Y={y₁,y₂,…,y_k} and edges x₁y₁,x₁y₂,x_ky_k−1,x_ky_k, and x_iy_i−1,x_iy_i,x_iy_i+1 for i=2,3,…,k−1. We completely characterize all complete bipartite graphs K_n,n that can be factorized into factors isomorphic to G=mH(k,3), where k is odd and mH(k,3) is the graph consisting of m disjoint copies of H(k,3).     

Some new results on the Littlewood-Offord problem

We consider the 2ⁿ sums of the form Σ?_ia_i with the a_i's vectors, | a_i | ? 1, and ?_i = 0, 1 for each i. We raise a number of questions about their distribution.We show that if the a_i lie in two dimensions, then at most $\text{n}\text{(}\text{n}\text{2}\text{)}$) sums can lie within a circle of diameter √3, and if n is even at most the sum of the three largest binomial coefficients can lie in a circle of diameter √5. These are best results under the indicated conditions.If two a's are more than 60° but less than 120° apart in direction, then the bound ($\text{n}\text{[}\text{n}\text{2}\text{]}$) on sums lying within a unit diameter sphere is improved to ($\text{n+1}\text{[}\text{n}\text{2}\text{]}\text{) ? 2(}\text{n?1}\text{[(n?}\text{1}\text{2}\text{)])}$.The method of Katona and Kleitman is shown to lead to a significant improvement on their two dimensional result.Finally, Lubell-type relations for sums lying in a unit diameter sphere are examined.     

Some results on the spectral reconstruction problem

This paper is concerned with the spectral version of the reconstruction conjecture: Whether a graph with n>2 vertices is determined (up to isomorphism) by the collection of its spectrum and the spectrum of its vertex-deleted graphs? Some positive results as well as a method for constructing counterexamples to the problem are provided.     

A complete solution to the infinite Oberwolfach problem

Let F be a 2‐regular graph of order v. The Oberwolfach problem, OP(F), asks for a 2‐factorization of the complete graph on v vertices in which each 2‐factor is isomorphic to F. In this paper, we give a complete solution to the Oberwolfach problem over infinite complete graphs, proving the existence of solutions that are regular under the action of a given involution free group G. We will also consider the same problem in the more general context of graphs F that are spanning subgraphs of an infinite complete graph $\mathbb{K}$ and we provide a solution when F is locally finite. Moreover, we characterize the infinite subgraphs L of F such that there exists a solution to OP(F) containing a solution to OP(L).     

Some results on the entire function sharing problem

Our main result is as follows: let f and a be two entire functions such that \(\max \{ \rho _2 (f),\rho _2 (a)\} < \tfrac{1} {2}\) . If f and f ^(k) a CM, and if ρ(a ^(k) ? a) < ρ(f ? a), then f ^(k) ? a = c(f ? a) for some nonzero constant c. This result is applied to improve a result of Gundersen and Yang.     

Some dichotomy results for the quenching problem

It is shown that any solution to the semilinear problem{ ut = uxx + δ(1-u)-p , (x, t) ∈ (-1 , 1) × (0 , T ), u( ±1 , t) = 0, t ∈ (0 , T ), u(x, 0) = u0(x) 1, x ∈ [ 1 , 1] either touches 1 in finite time or converges smoothly to a steady state as t →∞. Some extensions of this result to higher dimensions are also discussed.     

On the spouse‐loving variant of the Oberwolfach problem

We prove that , the complete graph of even order with a 1‐factor duplicated, admits a decomposition into 2‐factors, each a disjoint union of cycles of length if and only if , except possibly when is odd and . In addition, we show that admits a decomposition into 2‐factors, each a disjoint union of cycles of lengths , whenever are all even.     

Some new results in Waring's problem

LetG(k) denote the smallest numbers such that every sufficiently large natural number is the sum of, at most,s k-th powers of natural numbers. In this paper, we give new bounds forG(12),G(13) andG(19).     

Some results on a heat conduction problem by Myshkis

An infinite homogeneous d-dimensional medium initially is at zero temperature. A heat impulse is applied at the origin, raising the temperature there to a value greater than a constant value u₀>0. The temperature at the origin then decays, and when it reaches u₀, another equal-sized heat impulse is applied at a normalized time τ₁=1. Subsequent equal-sized heat impulses are applied at the origin at the normalized times τ_n, n=2,3,…, when the temperature there has decayed to u₀. This sequence of normalized waiting times τ_n can be defined recursively by a difference equation and its asymptotic behavior was known recently. This heat conduction problem was first studied in [J. Difference Equations Appl. 3 (1997) 89–91].

A natural subsequent question is what happens if the problem is set in a finite region, like in a laboratory, with the temperature at the boundary being kept zero forever. In this paper we obtain the asymptotic behavior of the heating times for the one-dimensional case.     

From graceful labellings of paths to cyclic solutions of the Oberwolfach problem

Constraints are given on graceful labellings for paths that allow them to be used to construct cyclic solutions to the Oberwolfach Problem. We give examples of graceful labellings meeting these constraints and hence, infinitely many new families of cyclic solutions can be constructed.     

Complete solutions to the Oberwolfach problem for an infinite set of orders

Let n3 and let F be a 2-regular graph of order n. The Oberwolfach problem OP(F) asks for a 2-factorisation of K_n if n is odd, or of K_n−I if n is even, in which each 2-factor is isomorphic to F. We show that there is an infinite set of primes congruent to such that OP(F) has a solution for any 2-regular graph F of order . We also show that for each of the infinitely many with prime, OP(F) has a solution for any 2-regular graph F of order n.     

Some asymptotic results for the combination of evidence problem

The combination of evidence problem is treated here as the construction of a posterior possibility function (or probability function, as a special case) describing an unknown state parameter vector of interest. This function exhibits the appropriate components contributing to knowledge of the parameter, including conditions or inference rules, relating the parameter with observable characteristics or attributes, and errors or confidences of observed or reported data. Multivalued logic operators - in particular, disjunction, conjunction, and implication operators, where needed – are used to connect these components and structure the posterior function. Typically, these operators are well-defined for only a finite number of arguments. Yet, often in the problem at hand, a number of observable attributes represent probabilistic concepts in the form of probability density functions. This occur, for example, for attributes representing ordinary numerical measurements- as opposed to those attributes representing linguistic-based information, where non-probabilistic possibility functions are used. Thus the problem of discretization of probabilistic attributes arises, where p.d.f.'s are truncated and discretized to probability functions. As the discretization process becomes finer and finer, intuitively the posterior function should better and better represent the information available. Hence, the basic question that arises is: what is the limiting behavior of the resulting posterior functions when the level of discretization becomes infinitely fine, and, in effect, the entire p.d.f.'s are used?It is shown in this paper that under mild analytic conditions placed upon the relevant functions and operators involved, nontrivial limits in the above sense do exist and involve monotone transforms of statistical expectations of functions of random variable corresponding to the p.d.f.'s for the probabilistic attributes.