Polynomial positivity cones for Coxeter roots and walks in trees

Abstract

For a finite simple graph $G$ and an integer $k\ge0$, let $w_k(G)$ denote the number of walks of length $k$. We prove the conjecture of T\"aubig, Weihmann, Kosub, Hemmecke, and Mayr for every finite tree and determine all equality cases. If $T$ has $n\ge1$ vertices, then $n w_{k+1}(T)-2(n-1)w_k(T)\ge0$ for every $k\ge1$; for $n\ge3$, equality holds if and only if $T$ is a star and $k$ is even, whereas for $n=1$ or $n=2$, equality holds for every $k\ge1$. For non-Dynkin trees and even indices, the proof is based on a polynomial positivity cone associated with the adjacency operator of a finite graph and a positive real root of its simply-laced Coxeter system. For finite connected bipartite non-Dynkin graphs, we establish sufficient positivity conditions in terms of Coxeter orbits and inversion sets, and verify these conditions for indicator roots supported on connected induced subtrees. For non-Dynkin trees, this yields the rooted even-index inequality and, after summation, the corresponding global inequality. We also prove that if $G$ is a finite connected bipartite non-Dynkin simple graph, $\varnothing\ne U\subseteq V(G)$, and the subgraph of $G$ induced by $U$ is a tree, then $|U|w_{k+1}(G,U)-2(|U|-1)w_k(G,U)\ge0$ for every $k\ge0$, where $w_k(G,U)$ counts the length-$k$ walks in $G$ whose initial and terminal vertices lie in $U$; the intermediate vertices are unrestricted. The remaining even-index cases for finite Dynkin trees are handled by generating-function recurrences, while the odd-index cases follow from a spectral covariance identity.