The Harary index of ordinary and generalized quasi-tree graphs

The Harary index is defined as the sum of reciprocals of distances between all pairs of vertices of a connected graph. The quasi-tree graph is a graph G in which there exists a vertex v∈V(G) such that G?v is a tree. In this paper, we presented the upper and lower bounds on the Harary index of all quasi-tree graphs of order n and characterized the corresponding extremal graphs. Moreover we defined the k-generalized quasi-tree graph to be a connected graph G with a subset V _k ?V(G) where |V _k |=k such that G?V _k is a tree. And we also determined the k-generalized quasi-tree graph of order n with maximal Harary index for all values of k and the extremal one with minimal Harary index for k=2.     

Competitively Tight Graphs

The competition graph of a digraph D is a (simple undirected) graph which has the same vertex set as D and has an edge between two distinct vertices x and y if and only if there exists a vertex v in D such that (x, v) and (y, v) are arcs of D. For any graph G, G together with sufficiently many isolated vertices is the competition graph of some acyclic digraph. The competition number k(G) of a graph G is the smallest number of such isolated vertices. Computing the competition number of a graph is an NP-hard problem in general and has been one of the important research problems in the study of competition graphs. Opsut [1982] showed that the competition number of a graph G is related to the edge clique cover number θ _E (G) of the graph G via θ _E (G) ? |V(G)| + 2 ≤ k(G) ≤ θ _E (G). We first show that for any positive integer m satisfying 2 ≤ m ≤ |V(G)|, there exists a graph G with k(G) = θ _E (G) ? |V(G)| + m and characterize a graph G satisfying k(G) = θ _E (G). We then focus on what we call competitively tight graphs G which satisfy the lower bound, i.e., k(G) = θ _E (G) ? |V(G)| + 2. We completely characterize the competitively tight graphs having at most two triangles. In addition, we provide a new upper bound for the competition number of a graph from which we derive a sufficient condition and a necessary condition for a graph to be competitively tight.     

A new family of expansive graphs

An affine graph is a pair (G,σ) where G is a graph and σ is an automorphism assigning to each vertex of G one of its neighbors. On one hand, we obtain a structural decomposition of any affine graph (G,σ) in terms of the orbits of σ. On the other hand, we establish a relation between certain colorings of a graph G and the intersection graph of its cliques K(G). By using the results we construct new examples of expansive graphs. The expansive graphs were introduced by Neumann-Lara in 1981 as a stronger notion of the K-divergent graphs. A graph G is K-divergent if the sequence |V(Kⁿ(G))| tends to infinity with n, where Kⁿ⁺¹(G) is defined by Kⁿ⁺¹(G)=K(Kⁿ(G)) for n?1. In particular, our constructions show that for any k?2, the complement of the Cartesian product C^k, where C is the cycle of length 2k+1, is K-divergent.     

Queue layouts of iterated line directed graphs

In this paper, we study queue layouts of iterated line directed graphs. A k-queue layout of a directed graph consists of a linear ordering of the vertices and an assignment of each arc to exactly one of the k queues so that any two arcs assigned to the same queue do not nest. The queuenumber of a directed graph is the minimum number of queues required for a queue layout of the directed graph.We present upper and lower bounds on the queuenumber of an iterated line directed graph L^k(G) of a directed graph G. Our upper bound depends only on G and is independent of the number of iterations k. Queue layouts can be applied to three-dimensional drawings. From the results on the queuenumber of L^k(G), it is shown that for any fixed directed graph G, L^k(G) has a three-dimensional drawing with O(n) volume, where n is the number of vertices in L^k(G). These results are also applied to specific families of iterated line directed graphs such as de Bruijn, Kautz, butterfly, and wrapped butterfly directed graphs. In particular, the queuenumber of k-ary butterfly directed graphs is determined if k is odd.     

Linear choosability of graphs

A proper vertex coloring of a non-oriented graph G is linear if the graph induced by the vertices of any two color classes is a forest of paths. A graph G is linearly L-list colorable if for a given list assignment L={L(v):v∈V(G)}, there exists a linear coloring c of G such that c(v)∈L(v) for all v∈V(G). If G is linearly L-list colorable for any list assignment with |L(v)|?k for all v∈V(G), then G is said to be linearly k-choosable. In this paper, we investigate the linear choosability for some families of graphs: graphs with small maximum degree, with given maximum average degree, outerplanar and planar graphs. Moreover, we prove that deciding whether a bipartite subcubic planar graph is linearly 3-colorable is an NP-complete problem.     

The symmetric (2k,k)‐graphs

A noncomplete graph G is called an (n, k)‐graph if it is n‐connected and G − X is not (n − |X| + 1)‐connected for any X ⊆ V(G) with |X| ≤ k. Mader conjectured that for k ≥ 3 the graph K_{2k + 2} − (1‐factor) is the unique (2k, k)‐graph. We settle this conjecture for strongly regular graphs, for edge transitive graphs, and for vertex transitive graphs. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 36: 35–51, 2001     

On n-Hamiltonian line graphs

With each nonempty graph G one can associate a graph L(G), called the line graph of G, with the property that there exists a one-to-one correspondence between E(G) and V(L(G)) such that two vertices of L(G) are adjacent if and only if the corresponding edges of G are adjacent. For integers m ≥ 2, the mth iterated line graph L^m(G) of G is defined to be L(L^m-1(G)). A graph G of order p ≥ 3 is n-Hamiltonian, 0 ≤ n ≤ p ? 3, if the removal of any k vertices, 0 ≤ k ≤ n, results in a Hamiltonian graph. It is shown that if G is a connected graph with δ(G) ≥ 3, where δ(G) denotes the minimum degree of G, then L²(G) is (δ(G) ? 3)-Hamiltonian. Furthermore, if G is 2-connected and δ(G) ≥ 4, then L²(G) is (2δ(G) ? 4)-Hamiltonian. For a connected graph G which is neither a path, a cycle, nor the graph K(1, 3) and for any positive integer n, the existence of an integer k such that L^m(G) is n-Hamiltonian for every m ≥ k is exhibited. Then, for the special case n = 1, bounds on (and, in some cases, the exact value of) the smallest such integer k are determined for various classes of graphs.     

Characterizations of restricted pairs of planar graphs allowing simultaneous embedding with fixed edges

A set of planar graphs {G₁(V,E₁),…,Gk(V,Ek)} admits a simultaneous embedding if they can be drawn on the same pointset P of order n in the Euclidean plane such that each point in P corresponds one-to-one to a vertex in V and each edge in Ei does not cross any other edge in Ei (except at endpoints) for i∈{1,…,k}. A fixed edge is an edge (u,v) that is drawn using the same simple curve for each graph Gi whose edge set Ei contains the edge (u,v). We give a necessary and sufficient condition for two graphs whose union is homeomorphic to K₅ or K3,3 to admit a simultaneous embedding with fixed edges (SEFE). This allows us to characterize the class of planar graphs that always have a SEFE with any other planar graph. We also characterize the class of biconnected outerplanar graphs that always have a SEFE with any other outerplanar graph. In both cases, we provide O(n⁴)-time algorithms to compute a SEFE.     

Characterizing defect n-extendable graphs and -critical graphs

A near perfect matching is a matching saturating all but one vertex in a graph. Let G be a connected graph. If any n independent edges in G are contained in a near perfect matching where n is a positive integer and n(|V(G)|-2)/2, then G is said to be defect n-extendable. If deleting any k vertices in G where k|V(G)|-2, the remaining graph has a perfect matching, then G is a k-critical graph. This paper first shows that the connectivity of defect n-extendable graphs can be any integer. Then the characterizations of defect n-extendable graphs and (2k+1)-critical graphs using M-alternating paths are presented.     

Matching properties in connected domination critical graphs

A dominating set of vertices S of a graph G is connected if the subgraph G[S] is connected. Let γ_c(G) denote the size of any smallest connected dominating set in G. A graph G is k-γ-connected-critical if γ_c(G)=k, but if any edge is added to G, then γ_c(G+e)?k-1. This is a variation on the earlier concept of criticality of edge addition with respect to ordinary domination where a graph G was defined to be k-critical if the domination number of G is k, but if any edge is added to G, the domination number falls to k-1.A graph G is factor-critical if G-v has a perfect matching for every vertex v∈V(G), bicritical if G-u-v has a perfect matching for every pair of distinct vertices u,v∈V(G) or, more generally, k-factor-critical if, for every set S⊆V(G) with |S|=k, the graph G-S contains a perfect matching. In two previous papers [N. Ananchuen, M.D. Plummer, Matching properties in domination critical graphs, Discrete Math. 277 (2004) 1-13; N. Ananchuen, M.D. Plummer, 3-factor-criticality in domination critical graphs, Discrete Math. 2007, to appear [3].] on ordinary (i.e., not necessarily connected) domination, the first and third authors showed that under certain assumptions regarding connectivity and minimum degree, a critical graph G with (ordinary) domination number 3 will be factor-critical (if |V(G)| is odd), bicritical (if |V(G)| is even) or 3-factor-critical (again if |V(G)| is odd). Analogous theorems for connected domination are presented here. Although domination and connected domination are similar in some ways, we will point out some interesting differences between our new results for the case of connected domination and the results in [N. Ananchuen, M.D. Plummer, Matching properties in domination critical graphs, Discrete Math. 277 (2004) 1-13; N. Ananchuen, M.D. Plummer, 3-factor-criticality in domination critical graphs, Discrete Math. 2007, to appear [3].].     

Regular graphs with high edge degree

For any vertex x of a graph G let Δ(x) denote the set of vertices adjacent to x. We seek to describe the connected graphs G which are regular of valence n and in which for all adjacent vertices x and y |Δ(x) ∩ Δ(y)| = n ? 1 ? s. It is known that the complete graphs are the graphs for which s = 0. For any s, any complete many-partite graph, each part containing s + 1 vertices, is such a graph. We show that these are the only such graphs for which the valence exceeds 2s² ? s + 1. The graphs satisfying these conditions for s = 1 or 2 are characterized (up to the class of trivalent triangle-free graphs.)     

Note on group distance magic complete bipartite graphs

A Γ-distance magic labeling of a graph G = (V, E) with |V| = n is a bijection ? from V to an Abelian group Γ of order n such that the weight $w(x) = \sum\nolimits_{y \in N_G (x)} {\ell (y)}$ of every vertex x ∈ V is equal to the same element µ ∈ Γ, called the magic constant. A graph G is called a group distance magic graph if there exists a Γ-distance magic labeling for every Abelian group Γ of order |V(G)|. In this paper we give necessary and sufficient conditions for complete k-partite graphs of odd order p to be ? _p -distance magic. Moreover we show that if p ≡ 2 (mod 4) and k is even, then there does not exist a group Γ of order p such that there exists a Γ-distance labeling for a k-partite complete graph of order p. We also prove that K _m,n is a group distance magic graph if and only if n + m ? 2 (mod 4).     

Acyclic Edge Coloring of Triangle‐Free Planar Graphs

An acyclic edge coloring of a graph is a proper edge coloring such that there are no bichromatic cycles. The acyclic chromatic index of a graph is the minimum number k such that there is an acyclic edge coloring using k colors and is denoted by a′(G). It was conjectured by Alon, Sudakov and Zaks (and much earlier by Fiamcik) that a′(G) ? Δ + 2, where Δ = Δ(G) denotes the maximum degree of the graph. If every induced subgraph H of G satisfies the condition |E(H)| ? 2|V(H)|?1, we say that the graph G satisfies Property A. In this article, we prove that if G satisfies Property A, then a′(G) ? Δ + 3. Triangle‐free planar graphs satisfy Property A. We infer that a′(G) ? Δ + 3, if G is a triangle‐free planar graph. Another class of graph which satisfies Property A is 2‐fold graphs (union of two forests). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory     

Connected graphs with maximal Q-index: The one-dominating-vertex case

By the signless Laplacian of a (simple) graph G we mean the matrix Q(G)=D(G)+A(G), where A(G),D(G) denote respectively the adjacency matrix and the diagonal matrix of vertex degrees of G. For every pair of positive integers n,k, it is proved that if 3?k?n-3, then H_n,k, the graph obtained from the star K_1,n-1 by joining a vertex of degree 1 to k+1 other vertices of degree 1, is the unique connected graph that maximizes the largest signless Laplacian eigenvalue over all connected graphs with n vertices and n+k edges.     

Connectivity,genus, and the number of components in vertex-deleted subgraphs

Let c(G) denote the number of components in a graph G. It is shown that if G has genus γ and isk-connected with k ? 3, then c(G ? X) ? (2/(k ? 2))(| X | ? 2 + 2γ), for all X? V(G) with | X | ? k. Some implications of this result for planar graphs (y = 0) and toroidal graphs (y = 1) are considered.     

The edge nucleus of a point-determining graph

In this paper we investigate the edge nucleus E⁰(G) of a point-determining graph G. We observe several relationships between E⁰(G) and the nucleus G⁰ = {v ∈ V(G)∣ G ? v is point determining} and use these relationships to prove several properties of E⁰(G). In particular, we show that there are only a finite number of graphs with a given edge nucleus and we determine those graphs G for which |E⁰(G)| ≤ 2. We also show that an n-clique of a point-determining graph G contains at least n?2 edges of E⁰(G) and if G is totally point determining, then every odd cycle of G meets E⁰(G).     

On the size of graphs labeled with a condition at distance two

A labeling of graph G with a condition at distance two is an integer labeling of V(G) such that adjacent vertices have labels that differ by at least two, and vertices distance two apart have labels that differ by at least one. The lambda-number of G, λ(G), is the minimum span over all labelings of G with a condition at distance two. Let G(n, k) denote the set of all graphs with order n and lambda-number k. In this paper, we examine the sizes of graphs in G(n, k). We modify Chvàtal's result on non-hamiltonian graphs to obtain a formula for the minimum size of a graph in G(n, k), and we use an algorithmic approach to obtain a formula for the maximum size. Finally, we show that for any integer j between the maximum and minimum sizes there exists a graph with size j in G(n, k). © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Convexity in oriented graphs

For vertices u and v in an oriented graph D, the closed interval I[u,v] consists of u and v together with all vertices lying in a u−v geodesic or v−u geodesic in D. For S⊆V(D), I[S] is the union of all closed intervals I[u,v] with u,v∈S. A set S is convex if I[S]=S. The convexity number con(D) is the maximum cardinality of a proper convex set of V(D). The nontrivial connected oriented graphs of order n with convexity number n−1 are characterized. It is shown that there is no connected oriented graph of order at least 4 with convexity number 2 and that every pair k, n of integers with 1⩽k⩽n−1 and k≠2 is realizable as the convexity number and order, respectively, of some connected oriented graph. For a nontrivial connected graph G, the lower orientable convexity number con⁻(G) is the minimum convexity number among all orientations of G and the upper orientable convexity number con⁺(G) is the maximum such convexity number. It is shown that con⁺(G)=n−1 for every graph G of order n⩾2. The lower orientable convexity numbers of some well-known graphs are determined, with special attention given to outerplanar graphs.     

On distance-3 matchings and induced matchings

For a finite undirected graph G=(V,E) and positive integer k≥1, an edge set M⊆E is a distance-k matching if the pairwise distance of edges in M is at least k in G. For k=1, this gives the usual notion of matching in graphs, and for general k≥1, distance-k matchings were called k-separated matchings by Stockmeyer and Vazirani. The special case k=2 has been studied under the names induced matching (i.e., a matching which forms an induced subgraph in G) by Cameron and strong matching by Golumbic and Laskar in various papers.Finding a maximum induced matching is NP-complete even on very restricted bipartite graphs and on claw-free graphs but it can be done efficiently on various classes of graphs such as chordal graphs, based on the fact that an induced matching in G corresponds to an independent vertex set in the square L(G)² of the line graph L(G) of G which, by a result of Cameron, is chordal for any chordal graph G.We show that, unlike for k=2, for a chordal graph G, L(G)³ is not necessarily chordal, and finding a maximum distance-3 matching, and more generally, finding a maximum distance-(2k+1) matching for k≥1, remains NP-complete on chordal graphs. For strongly chordal graphs and interval graphs, however, the maximum distance-k matching problem can be solved in polynomial time for every k≥1. Moreover, we obtain various new results for maximum induced matchings on subclasses of claw-free graphs.     

On the spectral spread of bicyclic graphs with given girth

The spectral spread of a graph is defined to be the difference between the largest and the least eigenvalue of the adjacency matrix of the graph. A graph G is said to be bicyclic, if G is connected and |E(G)| = |V(G)|+ 1. Let B(n, g) be the set of bicyclic graphs on n vertices with girth g. In this paper some properties about the least eigenvalues of graphs are given, by which the unique graph with maximal spectral spread in B(n, g) is determined.