Alliance free and alliance cover sets

A defensive (offensive) k-alliance in Γ = (V,E) is a set S ⊆ V such that every υ in S (in the boundary of S) has at least k more neighbors in S than it has in V / S. A set X ⊆ V is defensive (offensive) k-alliance free, if for all defensive (offensive) k-alliance S, S/X ≠ ∅, i.e., X does not contain any defensive (offensive) k-alliance as a subset. A set Y ⊆ V is a defensive (offensive) k-alliance cover, if for all defensive (offensive) k-alliance S, S ∩ Y ≠ ∅, i.e., Y contains at least one vertex from each defensive (offensive) k-alliance of Γ. In this paper we show several mathematical properties of defensive (offensive) k-alliance free sets and defensive (offensive) k-alliance cover sets, including tight bounds on their cardinality.     

Partitioning a graph into alliance free sets

A strong defensive alliance in a graph G=(V,E) is a set of vertices A⊆V, for which every vertex v∈A has at least as many neighbors in A as in V−A. We call a partition A,B of vertices to be an alliance-free partition, if neither A nor B contains a strong defensive alliance as a subset. We prove that a connected graph G has an alliance-free partition exactly when G has a block that is other than an odd clique or an odd cycle.     

Small alliances in a weighted graph

We extend the notion of a defensive alliance to weighted graphs. Let (G,w) be a weighted graph, where G is a graph and w be a function from V(G) to the set of positive real numbers. A non-empty set of vertices S in G is said to be a weighted defensive alliance if ∑_{x∈NG(v)∩S}w(x)+w(v)≥∑_{x∈NG(v)−S}w(x) holds for every vertex v in S. Fricke et al. (2003) [3] have proved that every graph of order n has a defensive alliance of order at most . In this note, we generalize this result to weighted defensive alliances. Let G be a graph of order n. Then we prove that for any weight function w on V(G), (G,w) has a defensive weighted alliance of order at most . We also extend the notion of strong defensive alliance to weighted graphs and generalize a result in Fricke et al. (2003) [3].     

Global defensive alliances in star graphs

A defensive alliance in a graph G=(V,E) is a set of vertices S⊆V satisfying the condition that, for each v∈S, at least one half of its closed neighbors are in S. A defensive alliance S is called a critical defensive alliance if any vertex is removed from S, then the resulting vertex set is not a defensive alliance any more. An alliance S is called global if every vertex in V(G)?S is adjacent to at least one member of the alliance S. In this paper, we shall propose a way for finding a critical global defensive alliance of star graphs. After counting the number of vertices in the critical global defensive alliance, we can derive an upper bound to the size of the minimum global defensive alliances in star graphs.     

On the global offensive alliance number of a graph

An offensive alliance in a graph Γ=(V,E) is a set of vertices S⊂V where for each vertex v in its boundary the majority of vertices in v’s closed neighborhood are in S. In the case of strong offensive alliance, strict majority is required. An alliance S is called global if it affects every vertex in V?S, that is, S is a dominating set of Γ. The global offensive alliance numberγ_o(Γ) is the minimum cardinality of a global offensive alliance in Γ. An offensive alliance is connected if its induced subgraph is connected. The global-connected offensive alliance number, γ_co(Γ), is the minimum cardinality of a global-connected offensive alliance in Γ.In this paper we obtain several tight bounds on γ_o(Γ) and γ_co(Γ) in terms of several parameters of Γ. The case of strong alliances is studied by analogy.     

Partitioning a Graph into Global Powerful k-Alliances

A set S of vertices of a graph is a defensive k-alliance if every vertex ${v\in S}$ has at least k more neighbors in S than it has outside of S. Analogously, a set S is an offensive k-alliance if every vertex in the neighborhood of S has at least k more neighbors in S than it has outside of S. Also, a powerful k-alliance is a set S of vertices of the graph, which is both defensive k-alliance and offensive (k?+?2)-alliance. A powerful k-alliance is called global if it is a dominating set. In this paper we show that for k?≥ 0, no graph is partitionable into global powerful k-alliances and, for k?≤ ?1, we obtain upper bounds on the maximum number of sets belonging to a partition of a graph into global powerful k-alliances. In addition, we study the close relationships that exist between partitions of a Cartesian product graph, Γ₁?× Γ₂, into (global) powerful (k ₁?+?k ₂)-alliances and partitions of Γ _i into (global) powerful k _i -alliances, ${i\in \{1,2\}}$ .     

Geodeticity of the contour of chordal graphs

A vertex v is a boundary vertex of a connected graph G if there exists a vertex u such that no neighbor of v is further away from u than v. Moreover, if no vertex in the whole graph V(G) is further away from u than v, then v is called an eccentric vertex of G. A vertex v belongs to the contour of G if no neighbor of v has an eccentricity greater than the eccentricity of v. Furthermore, if no vertex in the whole graph V(G) has an eccentricity greater than the eccentricity of v, then v is called a peripheral vertex of G. This paper is devoted to study these kinds of vertices for the family of chordal graphs. Our main contributions are, firstly, obtaining a realization theorem involving the cardinalities of the periphery, the contour, the eccentric subgraph and the boundary, and secondly, proving both that the contour of every chordal graph is geodetic and that this statement is not true for every perfect graph.     

Subdivided trees are integral sum graphs

A graph G=(V,E) is an integral sum graph (ISG) if there exists a labeling S(G)⊂Z such that V=S(G) and for every pair of distinct vertices u,v∈V, uv is an edge if and only if u+v∈V. A vertex in a graph is called a fork if its degree is not 2. In 1998, Chen proved that every tree whose forks are at distance at least 4 from each other is an ISG. In 2004, He et al. reduced the distance to 3. In this paper we reduce the distance further to 2, i.e. we prove that every tree whose forks are at least distance 2 apart is an ISG.     

Domination with exponential decay

Let G be a graph and S⊆V(G). For each vertex u∈S and for each v∈V(G)−S, we define to be the length of a shortest path in 〈V(G)−(S−{u})〉 if such a path exists, and ∞ otherwise. Let v∈V(G). We define if v⁄∈S, and w_S(v)=2 if v∈S. If, for each v∈V(G), we have w_S(v)≥1, then S is an exponential dominating set. The smallest cardinality of an exponential dominating set is the exponential domination number, γ_e(G). In this paper, we prove: (i) that if G is a connected graph of diameter d, then γ_e(G)≥(d+2)/4, and, (ii) that if G is a connected graph of order n, then .     

Safe separators for treewidth

A set of vertices S⊆V is called a safe separator for treewidth, if S is a separator of G, and the treewidth of G equals the maximum of the treewidth over all connected components W of G-S of the graph, obtained by making S a clique in the subgraph of G, induced by W∪S. We show that such safe separators are a very powerful tool for preprocessing graphs when we want to compute their treewidth. We give several sufficient conditions for separators to be safe, allowing such separators, if existing, to be found in polynomial time. In particular, every inclusion minimal separator of size one or two is safe, every minimum separator of size three that does not split off a component with only one vertex is safe, and every inclusion minimal separator that is an almost clique is safe; an almost clique is a set of vertices W such that there is a v∈W with W-{v} a clique. We report on experiments that show significant reductions of instance sizes for graphs from probabilistic networks and frequency assignment.     

Bounds on a graph's security number

Let G=(V,E) be a graph. A set S⊆V is a defensive alliance if |N[x]∩S|?|N[x]-S| for every x∈S. Thus, each vertex of a defensive alliance can, with the aid of its neighbors in S, be defended from attack by its neighbors outside of S. An entire set S is secure if any subset X⊆S, not just singletons, can be defended from an attack from outside of S, under an appropriate definition of what such a defense implies. The security number s(G) of G is the cardinality of a smallest secure set. Bounds on s(G) are presented.     

Security in graphs

Let G=(V,E) be a graph. A set S⊆V is a defensive alliance if |N[x]∩S|?|N[x]-S| for every x∈S. Thus, each vertex of a defensive alliance can, with the aid of its neighbors in S, be defended from attack by its neighbors outside of S. An entire set S is secure if any subset X⊆S can be defended from an attack from outside of S, under an appropriate definition of what such a defense implies. Necessary and sufficient conditions for a set to be secure are determined.     

Hamilton cycles in digraphs of unitary matrices

A set S⊆V is called a q⁺-set (q^--set, respectively) if S has at least two vertices and, for every u∈S, there exists v∈S,v≠u such that N⁺(u)∩N⁺(v)≠∅ (N^-(u)∩N^-(v)≠∅, respectively). A digraph D is called s-quadrangular if, for every q⁺-set S, we have |∪{N⁺(u)∩N⁺(v):u≠v,u,v∈S}|?|S| and, for every q^--set S, we have |∪{N^-(u)∩N^-(v):u,v∈S)}?|S|. We conjecture that every strong s-quadrangular digraph has a Hamilton cycle and provide some support for this conjecture.     

Factor-critical property in 3-dominating-critical graphs

A vertex subset S of a graph G is a dominating set if every vertex of G either belongs to S or is adjacent to a vertex of S. The cardinality of a smallest dominating set is called the dominating number of G and is denoted by γ(G). A graph G is said to be γ-vertex-critical if γ(G−v)<γ(G), for every vertex v in G.Let G be a 2-connected K_1,5-free 3-vertex-critical graph of odd order. For any vertex v∈V(G), we show that G−v has a perfect matching (except two graphs), which solves a conjecture posed by Ananchuen and Plummer [N. Ananchuen, M.D. Plummer, Matchings in 3-vertex critical graphs: The odd case, Discrete Math., 307 (2007) 1651-1658].     

5-Shredders in 5-connected graphs

For a graph G, a subset S of V(G) is called a shredder if G−S consists of three or more components. We show that if G is a 5-connected graph with |V(G)|≥135, then the number of shredders of cardinality 5 of G is less than or equal to (2|V(G)|−10)/3.     

Upper minus total domination in small-degree regular graphs

A function f:V(G)→{-1,0,1} defined on the vertices of a graph G is a minus total dominating function (MTDF) if the sum of its function values over any open neighborhood is at least one. An MTDF f is minimal if there does not exist an MTDF g:V(G)→{-1,0,1}, f≠g, for which g(v)?f(v) for every v∈V(G). The weight of an MTDF is the sum of its function values over all vertices. The minus total domination number of G is the minimum weight of an MTDF on G, while the upper minus domination number of G is the maximum weight of a minimal MTDF on G. In this paper we present upper bounds on the upper minus total domination number of a cubic graph and a 4-regular graph and characterize the regular graphs attaining these upper bounds.     

A sufficient condition for pancyclability of graphs

Let G be a graph of order n and S be a vertex set of q vertices. We call G,S-pancyclable, if for every integer i with 3≤i≤q there exists a cycle C in G such that |V(C)∩S|=i. For any two nonadjacent vertices u,v of S, we say that u,v are of distance two in S, denoted by d_S(u,v)=2, if there is a path P in G connecting u and v such that |V(P)∩S|≤3. In this paper, we will prove that if G is 2-connected and for all pairs of vertices u,v of S with d_S(u,v)=2, , then there is a cycle in G containing all the vertices of S. Furthermore, if for all pairs of vertices u,v of S with d_S(u,v)=2, , then G is S-pancyclable unless the subgraph induced by S is in a class of special graphs. This generalizes a result of Fan [G. Fan, New sufficient conditions for cycles in graphs, J. Combin. Theory B 37 (1984) 221-227] for the case when S=V(G).     

A constructive characterization of total domination vertex critical graphs

Let G be a graph of order n and maximum degree Δ(G) and let γ_t(G) denote the minimum cardinality of a total dominating set of a graph G. A graph G with no isolated vertex is the total domination vertex critical if for any vertex v of G that is not adjacent to a vertex of degree one, the total domination number of G−v is less than the total domination number of G. We call these graphs γ_t-critical. For any γ_t-critical graph G, it can be shown that n≤Δ(G)(γ_t(G)−1)+1. In this paper, we prove that: Let G be a connected γ_t-critical graph of order n (n≥3), then n=Δ(G)(γ_t(G)−1)+1 if and only if G is regular and, for each v∈V(G), there is an A⊆V(G)−{v} such that N(v)∩A=0?, the subgraph induced by A is 1-regular, and every vertex in V(G)−A−{v} has exactly one neighbor in A.     

An upper bound for the restrained domination number of a graph with minimum degree at least two in terms of order and minimum degree

Let G=(V,E) be a graph. A set S⊆V is a restrained dominating set if every vertex in V−S is adjacent to a vertex in S and to a vertex in V−S. The restrained domination number of G, denoted γ_r(G), is the smallest cardinality of a restrained dominating set of G. We will show that if G is a connected graph of order n and minimum degree δ and not isomorphic to one of nine exceptional graphs, then .     

On geodetic sets formed by boundary vertices

Let G be a finite simple connected graph. A vertex v is a boundary vertex of G if there exists a vertex u such that no neighbor of v is further away from u than v. We obtain a number of properties involving different types of boundary vertices: peripheral, contour and eccentric vertices. Before showing that one of the main results in [G. Chartrand, D. Erwin, G.L. Johns, P. Zhang, Boundary vertices in graphs, Discrete Math. 263 (2003) 25-34] does not hold for one of the cases, we establish a realization theorem that not only corrects the mentioned wrong statement but also improves it.Given S⊆V(G), its geodetic closure I[S] is the set of all vertices lying on some shortest path joining two vertices of S. We prove that the boundary vertex set ∂(G) of any graph G is geodetic, that is, I[∂(G)]=V(G). A vertex v belongs to the contour Ct(G) of G if no neighbor of v has an eccentricity greater than v. We present some sufficient conditions to guarantee the geodeticity of either the contour Ct(G) or its geodetic closure I[Ct(G)].