Embedding nearly-spanning bounded degree trees

We derive a sufficient condition for a sparse graph G on n vertices to contain a copy of a tree T of maximum degree at most d on (1 − ε)n vertices, in terms of the expansion properties of G. As a result we show that for fixed d ≥ 2 and 0 < ε < 1, there exists a constant c = c(d, ε) such that a random graph G(n, c/n) contains almost surely a copy of every tree T on (1 − ε)n vertices with maximum degree at most d. We also prove that if an (n, D, λ)-graph G (i.e., a D-regular graph on n vertices all of whose eigenvalues, except the first one, are at most λ in their absolute values) has large enough spectral gap D/λ as a function of d and ε, then G has a copy of every tree T as above. Research supported in part by a USA-Israeli BSF grant, by NSF grant CCR-0324906, by a Wolfensohn fund and by the State of New Jersey. Research supported in part by USA-Israel BSF Grant 2002-133, and by grants 64/01 and 526/05 from the Israel Science Foundation. Research supported in part by NSF CAREER award DMS-0546523, NSF grant DMS-0355497, USA-Israeli BSF grant, and by an Alfred P. Sloan fellowship.     

An approximate Dirac-type theorem for k-uniform hypergraphs

A k-uniform hypergraph is hamiltonian if for some cyclic ordering of its vertex set, every k consecutive vertices form an edge. In 1952 Dirac proved that if the minimum degree in an n-vertex graph is at least n/2 then the graph is hamiltonian. We prove an approximate version of an analogous result for uniform hypergraphs: For every K ≥ 3 and γ > 0, and for all n large enough, a sufficient condition for an n-vertex k-uniform hypergraph to be hamiltonian is that each (k − 1)-element set of vertices is contained in at least (1/2 + γ)n edges. Research supported by NSF grant DMS-0300529. Research supported by KBN grant 2P03A 015 23 and N201036 32/2546. Part of research performed at Emory University, Atlanta. Research supported by NSF grant DMS-0100784.     

Minimum ideal triangulations of hyperbolic 3-manifolds

Let σ(n) be the minimum number of ideal hyperbolic tetrahedra necessary to construct a finite volumen-cusped hyperbolic 3-manifold, orientable or not. Let σ_or(n) be the corresponding number when we restrict ourselves to orientable manifolds. The correct values of σ(n) and σ_or(n) and the corresponding manifolds are given forn=1,2,3,4 and 5. We then show that 2n−1≤σ(n)≤σ_or(n)≤4n−4 forn≥5 and that σ_or(n)≥2n for alln. Both authors were supported by NSF Grants DMS-8711495, DMS-8802266 and Williams College Research Funds.     

Beurling primes with large oscillation

A Beurling generalized number system is constructed having integer counting function N_B(x) = κx +O(x^θ) with κ>0 and 1/2 <θ <1, whose prime counting function satisfies the oscillation estimate π_B(x) =li(x) + Ω(xexp(-c)), and whose zeta function has infinitely many zeros on the curve σ=1−a/logt, t≥2, and no zero to the right of this curve, where a is chosen so that a>(4/e)(1−θ). The construction uses elements of classical analytic number theory and probability. The author was supported in part by NSF grants DMS-0070720 and DMS-0244660. The author was supported in part by NSF grant DMS-0244660.     

Towards a characterization of generalized twisted field planes

In this work we study semifield planes of orderq ⁿ(q=p ^r ,p prime) with a collineation whose order is ap-primitive divisor ofq ⁿ–1.Research supported in part by NSF Grant No. DMS-9107372Research supported in part by NSF grants RII-9014056, component IV of the EPSCoR of Puerto Rico grant and ARO grant for Cornell MSI.     

On a graph packing conjecture by Bollobás,Eldridge and Catlin

Two graphs G ₁ and G ₂ of order n pack if there exist injective mappings of their vertex sets into [n], such that the images of the edge sets are disjoint. In 1978, Bollobás and Eldridge, and independently Catlin, conjectured that if (Δ(G ₁) + 1)(Δ(G ₂) + 1) ≤ n + 1, then G ₁ and G ₂ pack. Towards this conjecture, we show that for Δ(G ₁),Δ(G ₂) ≥ 300, if (Δ(G ₁) + 1)(Δ(G ₂) + 1) ≤ 0.6n + 1, then G ₁ and G ₂ pack. This is also an improvement, for large maximum degrees, over the classical result by Sauer and Spencer that G ₁ and G ₂ pack if Δ(G ₁)Δ(G ₂) < 0.5n. This work was supported in part by NSF grant DMS-0400498. The work of the second author was also partly supported by NSF grant DMS-0650784 and grant 05-01-00816 of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. The work of the third author was supported in part by NSF grant DMS-0652306.     

Generating Random Regular Graphs

Random regular graphs play a central role in combinatorics and theoretical computer science. In this paper, we analyze a simple algorithm introduced by Steger and Wormald [10] and prove that it produces an asymptotically uniform random regular graph in a polynomial time. Precisely, for fixed d and n with d = O(n^1/3−ε), it is shown that the algorithm generates an asymptotically uniform random d-regular graph on n vertices in time O(nd²). This confirms a conjecture of Wormald. The key ingredient in the proof is a recently developed concentration inequality by the second author. The algorithm works for relatively large d in practical (quadratic) time and can be used to derive many properties of uniform random regular graphs. * Research supported in part by grant RB091G-VU from UCSD, by NSF grant DMS-0200357 and by an A. Sloan fellowship.     

On 2-Detour Subgraphs of the Hypercube

A spanning subgraph H of a graph G is a 2-detour subgraph of G if for each x, y ∈ V(G), d _H (x, y) ≤ d _G (x, y) + 2. We prove a conjecture of Erdős, Hamburger, Pippert, and Weakley by showing that for some positive constant c and every n, each 2-detour subgraph of the n-dimensional hypercube Q _n has at least clog₂ n · 2 ⁿ edges. József Balogh: Research supported in part by NSF grants DMS-0302804, DMS-0603769 and DMS-0600303, UIUC Campus Reseach Board #06139 and #07048, and OTKA 049398. Alexandr Kostochka: Research supported in part by NSF grants DMS-0400498 and DMS-0650784, and grant 06-01-00694 of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research.     

Universal non-completely-continuous operators

A bounded linear operator between Banach spaces is calledcompletely continuous if it carries weakly convergent sequences into norm convergent sequences. Isolated is a universal operator for the class of non-completely-continuous operators fromL ₁ into an arbitrary Banach space, namely, the operator fromL ₁ into ⊆_∞ defined byT ₀(f) = (∫r _n f d μ) _n>-0, wherer _n is thenth Rademacher function. It is also shown that there does not exist a universal operator for the class of non-completely-continuous operators between two arbitrary Banach spaces. The proof uses the factorization theorem for weakly compact operators and a Tsirelson-like space. Supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9306460. Participant, NSF Workshop in Linear Analysis & Probability, Texas A&M University (supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9311902). Supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9003550.     

On fixed points of permutations

The number of fixed points of a random permutation of {1,2,…,n} has a limiting Poisson distribution. We seek a generalization, looking at other actions of the symmetric group. Restricting attention to primitive actions, a complete classification of the limiting distributions is given. For most examples, they are trivial – almost every permutation has no fixed points. For the usual action of the symmetric group on k-sets of {1,2,…,n}, the limit is a polynomial in independent Poisson variables. This exhausts all cases. We obtain asymptotic estimates in some examples, and give a survey of related results. This paper is dedicated to the life and work of our colleague Manfred Schocker. We thank Peter Cameron for his help. Diaconis was supported by NSF grant DMS-0505673. Fulman received funding from NSA grant H98230-05-1-0031 and NSF grant DMS-0503901. Guralnick was supported by NSF grant DMS-0653873. This research was facilitated by a Chaire d’Excellence grant to the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis.     

Two-point concentration in random geometric graphs

A random geometric graph G _n is constructed by taking vertices X ₁,…,X _n ∈ℝ ^d at random (i.i.d. according to some probability distribution ν with a bounded density function) and including an edge between X _i and X _j if ‖X _i -X _j ‖ < r where r = r(n) > 0. We prove a conjecture of Penrose ([14]) stating that when r=r(n) is chosen such that nr ^d = o(lnn) then the probability distribution of the clique number ω(G _n ) becomes concentrated on two consecutive integers and we show that the same holds for a number of other graph parameters including the chromatic number χ(G _n ). The author was partially supported by EPSRC, the Department of Statistics, Bekkerla-Bastide fonds, Dr. Hendrik Muller’s Vaderlandsch fonds, and Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds.     

Asymptotic behavior of the irrational factor

We study the irrational factor function I(n) introduced by Atanassov and defined by , where is the prime factorization of n. We show that the sequence {G(n)/n} _n≧1, where G(n) = Π _ν=1 ⁿ I(ν)^1/n , is convergent; this answers a question of Panaitopol. We also establish asymptotic formulas for averages of the function I(n). Research of the third author is supported in part by NSF grant number DMS-0456615.     

The uniform norm of hyperinterpolation on the unit sphere in an arbitrary number of dimensions

In this paper we study the order of growth of the uniform norm of the hyperinterpolation operator on the unit sphere S ^r−1 ⊂ R^r. The hyperinterpolation approximation L _n ƒ, where ƒ ∈ C(S ^r −1), is derived from the exact L ² orthogonal projection Π ƒ onto the space P _n ^r (S ^r −1) of spherical polynomials of degree n or less, with the Fourier coefficients approximated by a positive weight quadrature rule that integrates exactly all polynomials of degree ≤ 2n. We extend to arbitrary r the recent r = 3 result of Sloan and Womersley [9], by proving that under an additional “quadrature regularity” assumption on the quadrature rule, the order of growth of the uniform norm of the hyperinterpolation operator on the unit sphere is O(n ^r /2−1), which is the same as that of the orthogonal projection Π_n, and best possible among all linear projections onto P _n ^r (S ^r −1).     

An optimal lower bound on the number of variables for graph identification

In this paper we show that (n) variables are needed for first-order logic with counting to identify graphs onn vertices. Thek-variable language with counting is equivalent to the (k–1)-dimensional Weisfeiler-Lehman method. We thus settle a long-standing open problem. Previously it was an open question whether or not 4 variables suffice. Our lower bound remains true over a set of graphs of color class size 4. This contrasts sharply with the fact that 3 variables suffice to identify all graphs of color class size 3, and 2 variables suffice to identify almost all graphs. Our lower bound is optimal up to multiplication by a constant becausen variables obviously suffice to identify graphs onn vertices.Research supported by NSF grant CCR-8709818.Research supported by NSF grant CCR-8805978 and Pennsylvania State University Research Initiation grant 428-45.Research supported by NSF grants DCR-8603346 and CCR-8806308.     

Traps for reflected Brownian motion

Consider an open set , d ≥ 2, and a closed ball . Let denote the expectation of the hitting time of B for reflected Brownian motion in D starting from x ∈ D. We say that D is a trap domain if . A domain D is not a trap domain if and only if the reflecting Brownian motion in D is uniformly ergodic. We fully characterize the simply connected planar trap domains using a geometric condition and give a number of (less complete) results for d > 2. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0303310. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0303310. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0201435.     

Intersecting Curves in the Plane

 We prove that for every family of n pairwise intersecting simple closed planar curves in general position, at least (4/5)n ²−O(n) points lie on more than one curve. This improves the previous lower bound of (3/4)n ²−O(n) due to Richter and Thomassen. Received: March 29, 2000 Final version received: August 30, 2001 RID="*" ID="*" Research supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9970325 Acknowledgments. I thank Bruce Richter for informing me about this problem, Gelasio Salazar for reading a preliminary version of the paper, and a Referee for useful comments. Current Address: Microsoft Research, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA. e-mail: mubayi@microsoft.com 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. 05C35, 52C10     

Sharpening the LYM inequality

The level sequence of a Sperner familyF is the sequencef(F)={f _i (F)}, wheref _i (F) is the number ofi element sets ofF . TheLYM inequality gives a necessary condition for an integer sequence to be the level sequence of a Sperner family on ann element set. Here we present an indexed family of inequalities that sharpen theLYM inequality.Research supported in part by Alexander v. Humboldt-StiftungResearch supported in part by NSF under grant DMS-86-06225 and AFOSR grant OSR-86-0078Research supported in part by NSF grant CCR-8911388Research supported in part by OTKA 327 0113     

Note making a <Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Subscript>4</Subscript>-free graph bipartite

We show that every K ₄-free graph G with n vertices can be made bipartite by deleting at most n ²/9 edges. Moreover, the only extremal graph which requires deletion of that many edges is a complete 3-partite graph with parts of size n/3. This proves an old conjecture of P. Erdős. Research supported in part by NSF CAREER award DMS-0546523, NSF grant DMS-0355497, USA-Israeli BSF grant, and by an Alfred P. Sloan fellowship.     

A local version of the two-circles theorem

A necessary and sufficient condition is given so that in a domain Ω there are no functions whose average over all balls contained in Ω of radiir ₁,r ₂ vanish except the zero function. Partially supported by NSF grant DMS-8401356 and by NSF grant OJR 85-OV-108 through the Systems Research Center of the University of Maryland.     

On the local distribution of certain arithmetic functions

Let d(n), σ ₁(n), and φ(n) stand for the number of positive divisors of n, the sum of the positive divisors of n, and Euler’s function, respectively. For each ν ∈, Z, we obtain asymptotic formulas for the number of integers n ⩽ x for which e _n = 2 ^v r for some odd integer m as well as for the number of integers n ⩽ x for which e _n = 2 ^v r for some odd rational number r. Our method also applies when φ(n) is replaced by σ ₁(n), thus, improving upon an earlier result of Bateman, Erdős, Pomerance, and Straus, according to which the set of integers n such that is an integer is of density 1/2. Research supported in part by a grant from NSERC. Research supported by the Applied Number Theory Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Science and by a grant from OTKA. Published in Lietuvos Matematikos Rinkinys, Vol. 46, No. 3, pp. 315–331, July–September, 2006.