The gallai-younger conjecture for planar graphs

Younger conjectured that for everyk there is ag(k) such that any digraphG withoutk vertex disjoint cycles contains a setX of at mostg(k) vertices such thatG–X has no directed cycles. Gallai had previously conjectured this result fork=1. We prove this conjecture for planar digraphs. Specifically, we show that ifG is a planar digraph withoutk vertex disjoint directed cycles, thenG contains a set of at mostO(klog(k)log(log(k))) vertices whose removal leaves an acyclic digraph. The work also suggests a conjecture concerning an extension of Vizing's Theorem for planar graphs.     

Multipartite Moore digraphs

We derive some Moore-like bounds for multipartite digraphs, which extend those of bipartite digraphs, under the assumption that every vertex of a given partite set is adjacent to the same number δ of vertices in each of the other independent sets. We determine when a multipartite Moore digraph is weakly distance-regular. Within this framework, some necessary conditions for the existence of a r-partite Moore digraph with interpartite outdegree δ > 1 and diameter k = 2m are obtained. In the case δ = 1, which corresponds to almost Moore digraphs, a necessary condition in terms of the permutation cycle structure is derived. Additionally, we present some constructions of dense multipartite digraphs of diameter two that are vertex-transitive.     

Even dicycles

We answer a question of Thomassen by proving that there is a unique strongly 2‐connected digraph with no even dicycle. We show the significance of this digraph to the structure of strongly connected digraphs with no even dicycles. We also prove a conjecture of Lundy. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 35: 46–68, 2000     

Hamiltonicity of large generalized de Bruijn cycles

In this article, we determine when the large generalized de Bruijn cycles are Hamiltonian. These digraphs have been introduced by Gómez, Padró and Pérennes as large interconnection networks with small diameter and they are a family of generalized cycles. They are Kronecker products of generalized de Bruijn digraphs and dicycles.     

The spectra of Manhattan street networks

The multidimensional Manhattan street networks constitute a family of digraphs with many interesting properties, such as vertex symmetry (in fact they are Cayley digraphs), easy routing, Hamiltonicity, and modular structure. From the known structural properties of these digraphs, we determine their spectra, which always contain the spectra of hypercubes. In particular, in the standard (two-dimensional) case it is shown that their line digraph structure imposes the presence of the zero eigenvalue with a large multiplicity.     

Disjoint quasi‐kernels in digraphs

A quasi‐kernel in a digraph is an independent set of vertices such that any vertex in the digraph can reach some vertex in the set via a directed path of length at most two. Chvátal and Lovász proved that every digraph has a quasi‐kernel. Recently, Gutin et al. raised the question of which digraphs have a pair of disjoint quasi‐kernels. Clearly, a digraph has a pair of disjoint quasi‐kernels cannot contain sinks, that is, vertices of outdegree zero, as each such vertex is necessarily included in a quasi‐kernel. However, there exist digraphs which contain neither sinks nor a pair of disjoint quasi‐kernels. Thus, containing no sinks is not sufficient in general for a digraph to have a pair of disjoint quasi‐kernels. In contrast, we prove that, for several classes of digraphs, the condition of containing no sinks guarantees the existence of a pair of disjoint quasi‐kernels. The classes contain semicomplete multipartite, quasi‐transitive, and locally semicomplete digraphs. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 58:251‐260, 2008     

Packing strong subgraph in digraphs

In this paper, we study two types of strong subgraph packing problems in digraphs, including internally disjoint strong subgraph packing problem and arc-disjoint strong subgraph packing problem. These problems can be viewed as generalizations of the famous Steiner tree packing problem and are closely related to the strong arc decomposition problem. We first prove the NP-completeness for the internally disjoint strong subgraph packing problem restricted to symmetric digraphs and Eulerian digraphs. Then we get inapproximability results for the arc-disjoint strong subgraph packing problem and the internally disjoint strong subgraph packing problem. Finally we study the arc-disjoint strong subgraph packing problem restricted to digraph compositions and obtain some algorithmic results by utilizing the structural properties.     

On the connectivity of randomm-orientable graphs and digraphs

We consider graphs and digraphs obtained by randomly generating a prescribed number of arcs incident at each vertex. We analyse their almost certain connectivity and apply these results to the expected value of random minimum length spanning trees and arborescences. We also examine the relationship between our results and certain results of Erdős and Rényi.     

Multiplicativity of acyclic local tournaments

A homomorphism of a digraph to another digraph is an edge-preserving vertex mapping. A digraphH is said to be multiplicative if the set of digraphs which do not admit a homomorphism toH is closed under categorical product. In this paper we discuss the multiplicativity of acyclic Hamiltonian digraphs, i.e., acyclic digraphs which contains a Hamiltonian path. As a consequence, we give a complete characterization of acyclic local tournaments with respect to multiplicativity.     

On tree‐decompositions of one‐ended graphs

A graph is one‐ended if it contains a ray (a one way infinite path) and whenever we remove a finite number of vertices from the graph then what remains has only one component which contains rays. A vertex v dominates a ray in the end if there are infinitely many paths connecting v to the ray such that any two of these paths have only the vertex v in common. We prove that if a one‐ended graph contains no ray which is dominated by a vertex and no infinite family of pairwise disjoint rays, then it has a tree‐decomposition such that the decomposition tree is one‐ended and the tree‐decomposition is invariant under the group of automorphisms. This can be applied to prove a conjecture of Halin from 2000 that the automorphism group of such a graph cannot be countably infinite and solves a recent problem of Boutin and Imrich. Furthermore, it implies that every transitive one‐ended graph contains an infinite family of pairwise disjoint rays.     

Arc‐Disjoint In‐ and Out‐Branchings With the Same Root in Locally Semicomplete Digraphs

Deciding whether a digraph contains a pair of arc‐disjoint in‐ and out‐branchings rooted at a specified vertex is a well‐known NP‐complete problem (as proved by Thomassen, see 2 ). This problem has been shown to be polynomial time solvable for semicomplete digraphs 2 and for quasi‐transitive digraphs 6 . In this article, we study the problem for locally semicomplete digraphs. We characterize locally semicomplete digraphs that contain a pair of arc‐disjoint in‐ and out‐branchings rooted at a specified vertex. Our proofs are constructive and imply the existence of a polynomial time algorithm for finding the desired branchings when they exist. Our results generalizes those from 2 for semicomplete digraphs and solves an open problem from 4 .     

Upward planarity testing

Acyclic digraphs, such as the covering digraphs of ordered sets, are usually drawn upward, i.e., with the edges monotonically increasing in the vertical direction. A digraph is upward planar if it admits an upward planar drawing. In this survey paper, we overview the literature on the problem of upward planarity testing. We present several characterizations of upward planarity and describe upward planarity testing algorithms for special classes of digraphs, such as embedded digraphs and single-source digraphs. We also sketch the proof of NP-completeness of upward planarity testing.Research supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant CCR-9423847.     

Posets with interval upper bound graphs

Competition graphs of transitive acyclic digraphs are strict upper bound graphs. This paper characterizes those posets, which can be considered transitive acyclic digraphs, which have upper bound graphs that are interval graphs. The results proved here may shed some light on the open question of those digraphs which have interval competition graphs.This material is taken from Chapter 3 of my (maiden name Diny) PhD Dissertation.     

The asymptotic number of acyclic digraphs. I

We obtain an asymptotic formula forA _n,q , the number of digraphs withn labeled vertices,q edges and no cycles. The derivation consists of two separate parts. In the first we analyze the generating function forA _n,q so as to obtain a central limit theorem for an associated probability distribution. In the second part we show combinatorially thatA _n,q is a smooth function ofq. By combining these results, we obtain the desired asymptotic formula. Research supported by NSF under grant MCS-8300414. Research supported by NSERC under grant A4067. Research supported by NSF under grant MCS-8302282. Research supported by the Australian Department of Science and Technology under the Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship Scheme, while this author was at the University of Newcastle, Australia.     

Pairs of edge disjoint Hamiltonian circuits in 5-connected planar graphs

Summary A variety of examples of 4-connected 4-regular graphs with no pair of disjoint Hamiltonian circuits were constructed in response to Nash-Williams conjecture that every 4-connected 4-regular graph is Hamiltonian and also admits a pair of edge-disjoint Hamiltonian circuits. Nash-Williams's problem is especially interesting for planar graphs since 4-connected planar graphs are Hamiltonian. Examples of 4-connected 4-regular planar graphs in which every pair of Hamiltonian circuits have edges in common are included in the above mentioned examples.B. Grünbaum asked whether 5-connected planar graphs always admit a pair of disjoint Hamiltonian circuits. In this paper we introduce a technique that enables us to construct infinitely many examples of 5-connected planar graphs, 5-regular and non regular, in which every pair of Hamiltonian circuits have edges in common.     

Directed circuits on a torus

Given verticess, t of a planar digraphG, does there exist a directed circuit ofG containing boths andt? We give a polynomial algorithm for this and for a number of related problems, including one about disjoint directed circuits of prescribed homotopy in a digraph drawn on a torus.     

A note on the girth of digraphs

Behzad, Chartrand and Wall conjectured that the girth of a diregular graph of ordern and outdegreer is not greater than [n /r]. This conjecture has been proved forr=2 by Behzad and forr=3 by Bermond. We prove that a digraph of ordern and halfdegree ≧4 has girth not exceeding [n / 4]. We also obtain short proofs of the above results. Our method is an application of the theory of connectivity of digraphs.     

Ihara zeta functions of digraphs

After defining and exploring some of the properties of Ihara zeta functions of digraphs, we improve upon Kotani and Sunada’s bounds on the poles of Ihara zeta functions of undirected graphs by considering digraphs whose adjacency matrices are directed edge matrices.     

Homomorphisms to oriented cycles

We discuss the existence of homomorphisms to oriented cycles and give, for a special class of cyclesC, a characterization of those digraphs that admit, a homomorphism toC. Our result can be used to prove the multiplicativity of a certain class of oriented cycles, (and thus complete the characterization of multiplicative oriented cycles), as well as to prove the membership of the corresponding decision problem in the classNPcoNP. We also mention a conjecture on the existence of homomorphisms to arbitrary oriented cycles.