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arXiv · 1506.01775

Average degree conditions forcing a minor

Daniel J. Harvey·David R. Wood
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Abstract

Mader first proved that high average degree forces a given graph as a minor. Often motivated by Hadwiger's Conjecture, much research has focused on the average degree required to force a complete graph as a minor. Subsequently, various authors have consider the average degree required to force an arbitrary graph $H$ as a minor. Here, we strengthen (under certain conditions) a recent result by Reed and Wood, giving better bounds on the average degree required to force an $H$-minor when $H$ is a sparse graph with many high degree vertices. This solves an open problem of Reed and Wood, and also generalises (to within a constant factor) known results when $H$ is an unbalanced complete bipartite graph.

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Daniel J. Harvey, David R. Wood. 2015-06-05. Average degree conditions forcing a minor. https://arxiv.org/abs/1506.01775

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