Combinatorics (math.CO)

Abstract: We study SIR type epidemics on graphs in two scenarios: (i) when the initial infections start from a well connected central region, (ii) when initial infections are distributed uniformly. Previously, \'Odor et al. demonstrated on a few random graph models that the expectation of the total number of infections undergoes a switchover phenomenon; the central region is more dangerous for small infection rates, while for large rates, the uniform seeding is expected to infect more nodes. We rigorously prove this claim under mild, deterministic assumptions on the underlying graph. If we further assume that the central region has a large enough expansion, the second moment of the degree distribution is bounded and the number of initial infections is comparable to the number of vertices, the difference between the two scenarios is shown to be macroscopic.

Abstract: The Shi arrangement due to Shi (1986) and the Ish arrangement due to Armstrong (2013) are deformations of the type $A$ Coxeter arrangement that share many common properties. Motivated by a question of Armstrong and Rhoades since 2012 to seek for Ish arrangements of other types, in this paper we introduce an Ish arrangement of type $B$. We study this Ish arrangement through various aspects similar to as known in type $A$ with a main emphasis on freeness and supersolvability. Our method is based on the concept of $\psi$-digraphic arrangements recently introduced due to Abe and the authors with a type $B$ extension.

Abstract: A fractional matching of a graph $G$ is a function $f:E(G)\rightarrow [0, 1]$ such that for any $v\in V(G)$, $\sum_{e\in E_{G}(v)}f(e)\leq1$, where $E_{G}(v)=\{e\in E(G): e~ \mbox{is incident with} ~v~\mbox{in}~G\}$.The fractional matching number of $G$ is $\mu_{f}(G)=\mathrm{max}\{\sum_{e\in E(G)}f(e):f$ is a fractional matching of $G\}$. Let $k\in (0,n)$ is an integer. In this paper, we prove a tight lower bound of the spectral radius to guarantee $\mu_{f}(G)>\frac{n-k}{2}$ in a graph with minimum degree $\delta,$ which implies the result on the fractional perfect matching due to Fan et al. [Discrete Math. 345 (2022) 112892]. For a set $\{A, B, C, \ldots\}$ of graphs, an $\{A, B, C, \ldots\}$-factor of a graph $G$ is defined to be a spanning subgraph of $G$ each component of which is isomorphic to one of $\{A, B, C, \ldots\}$.We present a tight sufficient condition in terms of the spectral radius for the existence of a $\{K_2, \{C_k\}\}$-factor in a graph with minimum degree $\delta,$ where $k\geq 3$ is an integer. Moreover, we also provide a tight spectral radius condition for the existence of a $\{K_{1, 1}, K_{1, 2}, \ldots , K_{1, k}\}$-factor with $k\geq2$ in a graph with minimum degree $\delta,$ which generalizes the result of Miao et al. [Discrete Appl. Math. 326 (2023) 17-32].

Abstract: In this paper we investigate the game chromatic number for complete multipartite graphs. We devise several strategies for Alice, and one strategy for Bob, and we prove their optimality in all complete multipartite graphs with no singletons. All the strategies presented are computable in linear time, and the values of the game chromatic number depend directly only on the number and the sizes of sets in the partition.

Abstract: We combine the two fundamental fixed-order tangle theorems of Robertson and Seymour into a single theorem that implies both, in a best possible way. We show that, for every $k \in \mathbb{N}$, every tree-decomposition of a graph $G$ which efficiently distinguishes all its $k$-tangles can be refined to a tree-decomposition whose parts are either too small to be home to a $k$-tangle, or as small as possible while being home to a $k$-tangle.

Abstract: In this work we define a novel edit distance for graphs considered with some weights on the edges. The metric is driven by the idea of considering graphs as topological summaries in the context of persistence and topological data analysis. In case the graphs are trees, the metric can be computed with a dynamical integer linear programming approach. This framework is applied and further studied in other works focused on merge trees, where stability properties are also assessed.

Abstract: We consider two division problems on narrow strips of square and hexagonal lattices. In both cases we compute the bivariate enumerating sequences and the corresponding generating functions, which allowed us to determine the asymptotic behavior of the total number of such subdivisions and the expected number of parts. For the square lattice we extend results of two recent references by establishing polynomiality of enumerating sequences forming columns and diagonals of the triangular enumerating sequence. In the hexagonal case, we find a number of new combinatorial interpretations of the Fibonacci numbers and find combinatorial proofs of some Fibonacci related identities. We also show how both cases could be treated via the transfer matrix method and discuss some directions for future research.

Abstract: Three polynomials are defined for given sets $S$ of $n$ points in general position in the plane: The Voronoi polynomial with coefficients the numbers of vertices of the order-$k$ Voronoi diagrams of~$S$, the circle polynomial with coefficients the numbers of circles through three points of $S$ enclosing $k$ points of $S$, and the $E_{\leq k}$ polynomial with coefficients the numbers of (at most $k$)-edges of~$S$. We present several formulas for the rectilinear crossing number of $S$ in terms of these polynomials and their roots. We also prove that the roots of the Voronoi polynomial lie on the unit circle if, and only if, $S$ is in convex position. Further, we present bounds on the location of the roots of these polynomials.

Abstract: Given a graph $H$, let $g(n,H)$ denote the smallest $k$ for which the following holds. We can assign a $k$-colouring $f_v$ of the edge set of $K_n$ to each vertex $v$ in $K_n$ with the property that for any copy $T$ of $H$ in $K_n$, there is some $u\in V(T)$ such that every edge in $T$ has a different colour in $f_u$. The study of this function was initiated by Alon and Ben-Eliezer. They characterized the family of graphs $H$ for which $g(n,H)$ is bounded and asked whether it is true that for every other graph $g(n,H)$ is polynomial. We show that this is not the case and characterize the family of connected graphs $H$ for which $g(n,H)$ grows polynomially. Answering another question of theirs, we also prove that for every $\varepsilon>0$, there is some $r=r(\varepsilon)$ such that $g(n,K_r)\geq n^{1-\varepsilon}$ for all sufficiently large $n$. Finally, we show that the above problem is connected to the Erd\H{o}s-Gy\'arf\'as function in Ramsey Theory, and prove a family of special cases of a conjecture of Conlon, Fox, Lee and Sudakov by showing that for each fixed $r$ the complete $r$-uniform hypergraph $K_n^{(r)}$ can be edge-coloured using a subpolynomial number of colours in such a way that at least $r$ colours appear among any $r+1$ vertices.

Abstract: For a finite field of odd number of elements we construct families of permutation binomials and permutation trinomials with one fixed-point (namely zero) and remaining elements being permuted as disjoint cycles of same length. Binomials and trinomials providing permutations with cycles of many lengths with certain frequency are also constructed.