Total outer-connected domination numbers of trees

Let G=(V,E) be a graph without an isolated vertex. A set DV(G) is a total dominating set if D is dominating, and the induced subgraph GD] does not contain an isolated vertex. The total domination number of G is the minimum cardinality of a total dominating set of G. A set DV(G) is a total outer-connected dominating set if D is total dominating, and the induced subgraph GV(G)−D] is a connected graph. The total outer-connected domination number of G is the minimum cardinality of a total outer-connected dominating set of G. We characterize trees with equal total domination and total outer-connected domination numbers. We give a lower bound for the total outer-connected domination number of trees and we characterize the extremal trees.