The Hadwiger number of infinite vertex-transitive graphs

We prove that every infinite, locally finite 3-connected, almost 4-connected, almost transitive, nonplanar graph, which contains infinitely many pairwise disjoint infinite paths belonging to the same end, can be contracted into an infinite complete graph. This implies that every infinite, locally finite, connected, nonplanar vertex-transitive graph with only one end can be contracted into an infinite complete graph. This problem was raised by L. Babai.     

On infinite graphs with a specified number of colorings

In this paper we construct a planar graph of degree four which admits exactly N_u 3-colorings, we prove that such a graph must have degree at least four, and we consider various generalizations. We first allow our graph to have either one or two vertices of infinite degree and/or to admit only finitely many colorings and we note how this effects the degrees of the remaining vertices. We next consider n-colorings for n>3, and we construct graphs which we conjecture (but cannot prove) are of minimal degree. Finally, we consider nondenumerable graphs, and for every 3 <n<ω and every infinite cardinal k we construct a graph of cardinality k which admits exactly kn-colorings. We also show that the number of n-colorings of a denumerable graph can never be strictly between N_u and 2^N_u and that an appropriate generalization holds for at least certain nondenumerable graphs.     

The list-chromatic number of infinite graphs

We investigate the list-chromatic number of infinite graphs. It is easy to see that Chr(X) ≤ List(X) ≤ Col(X) for each graph X. It is consistent that List(X) = Col(X) holds for every graph with Col(X) infinite. It is also consistent that for graphs of cardinality ? ₁, List(X) is countable iff Chr(X) is countable.     

The Ulam number of infinite graphs

The following is a conjecture of Ulam: In any partition of the integer lattice on the plane into uniformly bounded sets, there exists a set that is adjacent to at least six other sets. Two sets are adjacent if each contain a vertex of the same unit square. This problem is generalized as follows. Given any uniformly bounded partitionP of the vertex set of an infinite graphG with finite maximum degree, letP (G) denote the graph obtained by letting each set of the partition be a vertex ofP (G) where two vertices ofP (G) are adjacent if and only if the corresponding sets have an edge between them. The Ulam number ofG is defined as the minimum of the maximum degree ofP (G) where the minimum is taken over all uniformly bounded partitionsP. We have characterized the graphs with Ulam number 0, 1, and 2. Restricting the partitions of the vertex set to connected subsets, we obtain the connected Ulam number ofG. We have evaluated the connected Ulam numbers for several infinite graphs. For instance we have shown that the connected Ulam number is 4 ifG is an infinite grid graph. We have settled the Ulam conjecture for the connected case by proving that the connected Ulam number is 6 for an infinite triangular grid graph. The general Ulam conjecture is equivalent to proving that the Ulam number of the infinite triangular grid graph equals 6. We also describe some interesting geometric consequences of the Ulam number, mainly concerning good drawings of infinite graphs.     

The fractional chromatic number of infinite graphs

The fractional chromatic number of a graph G is the infimum of the total weight that can be assigned to the independent sets of G in such a way that, for each vertex v of G, the sum of the weights of the independent sets containing v is at least 1. In this note we give a graph a graph whose fractional chromatic number is strictly greater than the supremum of the fractional chromatic numbers of its finite subgraphs. This answers a question of Zhu. We also give some grphs for which the fractional chromatic number is not attined, answering another of Zhu. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On the connectivity of infinite graphs

Let \({\mu \geq \omega}\) be regular, assume the Generalized Continuum Hypothesis and the principle \({\square_\lambda}\) holds for every singular \({\lambda}\) with \({{\rm cf}(\lambda) \leq \mu}\). Let X be a graph with chromatic number greater than \({\mu^+}\). Then X contains a \({\mu}\)-connected subgraph Y of X whose chromatic number is greater than \({\mu^+}\).     

On the structure of infinite vertex-transitive graphs

A characterization of all vertex-transitive graphs Γ of connectivity l is given in terms of the lobe structure of Γ. Among these, all graphs are determined whose automorphism groups act primitively (respectively, regularly) on the vertex set.     

Decomposition of infinite eulerian graphs with a small number of vertices of infinite degree

We consider the question whether an infinite eulerian graph has a decomposition into circuits and rays if the graph has only finitely many, say n, vertices of infinite degree, and only finitely many finite components after the removal of the vertices of infinite degree. It is known that the answer is affirmative for n2 and negative for n4. We settle the remaining case n=3, showing that a decomposition into circuits and rays also exists in this case.     

On disjoint configurations in infinite graphs

For a graph A and a positive integer n, let nA denote the union of n disjoint copies of A; similarly, the union of ?₀ disjoint copies of A is referred to as ?₀A. It is shown that there exist (connected) graphs A and G such that nA is a minor of G for all n??, but ?₀A is not a minor of G. This supplements previous examples showing that analogous statements are true if, instead of minors, isomorphic embeddings or topological minors are considered. The construction of A and G is based on the fact that there exist (infinite) graphs G₁, G₂,… such that G_i is not a minor of G_j for all i ≠ j. In contrast to previous examples concerning isomorphic embeddings and topological minors, the graphs A and G presented here are not locally finite. The following conjecture is suggested: for each locally finite connected graph A and each graph G, if nA is a minor of G for all n ? ?, then ?₀A is a minor of G, too. If true, this would be a far‐reaching generalization of a classical result of R. Halin on families of disjoint one‐way infinite paths in graphs. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 39: 222–229, 2002; DOI 10.1002/jgt.10016     

On the connectivities of finite and infinite graphs

Results byW. Mader and the authors on the connectivity of finite graphs are generalized to include infinite graphs. In the infinite case a distinction must be made concerning the distribution of finite and infinite components with respect to the separating sets. Results are obtained relating these components to the atoms.     

The chromatic number of infinite graphs — A survey

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

A note on Hadwiger’s conjecture for W5-free graphs with independence number two

The Hadwiger number of a graph $G$, denoted $h\left(G\right)$, is the largest integer $t$ such that $G$ contains $K_t$ as a minor. A famous conjecture due to Hadwiger in 1943 states that for every graph $G$, $h\left(G\right)\ge \chi \left(G\right)$, where $\chi \left(G\right)$ denotes the chromatic number of $G$. Let $\alpha \left(G\right)$ denote the independence number of $G$. A graph is $H$-free if it does not contain the graph $H$ as an induced subgraph. In 2003, Plummer, Stiebitz and Toft proved that $h\left(G\right)\ge \chi \left(G\right)$ for all $H$-free graphs $G$ with $\alpha \left(G\right)\le 2$, where $H$ is any graph on four vertices with $\alpha \left(H\right)\le 2$, $H=C_5$, or $H$ is a particular graph on seven vertices. In 2010, Kriesell subsequently generalized the statement to include all forbidden subgraphs $H$ on five vertices with $\alpha \left(H\right)\le 2$. In this note, we prove that $h\left(G\right)\ge \chi \left(G\right)$ for all $W_5$-free graphs $G$ with $\alpha \left(G\right)\le 2$, where $W_5$ denotes the wheel on six vertices.     

On Hamilton decompositions of infinite circulant graphs

The natural infinite analog of a (finite) Hamilton cycle is a two‐way‐infinite Hamilton path (connected spanning 2‐valent subgraph). Although it is known that every connected 2k‐valent infinite circulant graph has a two‐way‐infinite Hamilton path, there exist many such graphs that do not have a decomposition into k edge‐disjoint two‐way‐infinite Hamilton paths. This contrasts with the finite case where it is conjectured that every 2k‐valent connected circulant graph has a decomposition into k edge‐disjoint Hamilton cycles. We settle the problem of decomposing 2k‐valent infinite circulant graphs into k edge‐disjoint two‐way‐infinite Hamilton paths for , in many cases when , and in many other cases including where the connection set is or .     

On vertex k-partitions of certain infinite graphs

Let G be an infinite graph; define deg∞ G to be the least m such that any partition P of the vertex set of G into sets of uniformly bounded cardinality contains a set which is adjacent to at least m other sets of the partition. If G is either a regular tree on a triangular, square or hexagonal planar mosaic graph, it is shown that deg∞ G equals the degree of G. This verifies some conjectures of S. Ulam. Several open problems are given.     

Hadwiger number and chromatic number for near regular degree sequences

We consider a problem related to Hadwiger's Conjecture. Let D=(d₁, d₂, …, d_n) be a graphic sequence with 0?d₁?d₂?···?d_n?n?1. Any simple graph G with D its degree sequence is called a realization of D. Let R[D] denote the set of all realizations of D. Define h(D)=max{h(G): G∈R[D]} and χ(D)=max{χ(G): G∈R[D]}, where h(G) and χ(G) are Hadwiger number and chromatic number of a graph G, respectively. Hadwiger's Conjecture implies that h(D)?χ(D). In this paper, we establish the above inequality for near regular degree sequences. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 64: 175–183, 2010     

An infinite family of subcubic graphs with unbounded packing chromatic number

Recently, Balogh et al. (2018) answered in negative the question that was posed in several earlier papers whether the packing chromatic number is bounded in the class of graphs with maximum degree 3. In this note, we present an explicit infinite family of subcubic graphs with unbounded packing chromatic number.