arXiv subjects

Derek Kitson

Publications and source records attributed to Derek Kitson.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Algebraic connectivity in normed spaces

The algebraic connectivity of a graph $G$ in a finite dimensional real normed linear space $X$ is a geometric counterpart to the Fiedler number of the graph and can be regarded as a measure of the rigidity of the graph in $X$. We analyse the behaviour of the algebraic connectivity of $G$ in $X$ with respect to graph decomposition, vertex deletion and isometric isomorphism, and provide a general bound expressed in terms of the geometry of $X$ and the Fiedler number of the graph. Particular focus is given to the space $\ell_\infty^d$ where we present explicit formulae and calculations as well as upper and lower bounds. As a key tool, we show that the monochrome subgraphs of a complete framework in $\ell_\infty^d$ are odd-hole-free. Connections to redundant rigidity are also presented.

math.CO↗

arXiv2025

The Rigid Unit Mode spectrum for symmetric frameworks

We establish several fundamental properties of the Rigid Unit Mode (RUM) spectrum for symmetric frameworks with a discrete abelian symmetry group and arbitrary linear constraints. In particular, we identify a nonempty subset of the RUM spectrum which derives from the joint eigenvalues of generators for the linear part of the symmetry group. These joint eigenvalues give rise to $\chi$-symmetric flexes which span the space of translations for the framework. We show that the RUM spectrum is a union of Bohr-Fourier spectra arising from twisted almost-periodic flexes of the framework. We also characterise frameworks for which every almost periodic flex is a translation.

math.FA↗

arXiv2024

Edge-length preserving embeddings of graphs between normed spaces

The concept of graph flattenability, initially formalized by Belk and Connelly and later expanded by Sitharam and Willoughby, extends the question of embedding finite metric spaces into a given normed space. A finite simple graph $G=(V,E)$ is said to be $(X,Y)$-flattenable if any set of induced edge lengths from an embedding of $G$ into a normed space $Y$ can also be realised by an embedding of $G$ into a normed space $X$. This property, being minor-closed, can be characterized by a finite list of forbidden minors. Following the establishment of fundamental results about $(X,Y)$-flattenability, we identify sufficient conditions under which it implies independence with respect to the associated rigidity matroids for $X$ and $Y$. We show that the spaces $\ell_2$ and $\ell_\infty$ serve as two natural extreme spaces of flattenability and discuss $(X, \ell_p )$-flattenability for varying $p$. We provide a complete characterization of $(X,Y)$-flattenable graphs for the specific case when $X$ is 2-dimensional and $Y$ is infinite-dimensional.

math.MG↗

arXiv2023

Block-and-hole graphs: Constructibility and $(3,0)$-sparsity

We show that minimally 3-rigid block-and-hole graphs, with one block or one hole, are characterised as those which are constructible from $K_3$ by vertex splitting, and also, as those having associated looped face graphs which are $(3,0)$-tight. This latter property can be verified in polynomial time by a form of pebble game algorithm. We also indicate connections to the rigidity properties of polyhedral surfaces known as origami and to graph rigidity in $\ell_p^3$ for $p\not=2$.

math.CO↗

arXiv2023

Rigid graphs in cylindrical normed spaces

We characterise rigid graphs for cylindrical normed spaces $Z=X\oplus_\infty \mathbb{R}$ where $X$ is a finite dimensional real normed linear space and $Z$ is endowed with the product norm. In particular, we obtain purely combinatorial characterisations of minimal rigidity for a large class of 3-dimensional cylindrical normed spaces; for example, when $X$ is an $\ell_p$-plane with $p\in (1,\infty)$. We combine these results with recent work of Cros et al. to characterise rigid graphs in the 4-dimensional cylindrical space $(\mathbb{R}^2\oplus_1\mathbb{R})\oplus_\infty\mathbb{R}$. These are among the first combinatorial characterisations of rigid graphs in normed spaces of dimension greater than 2. Examples of rigid graphs are presented and algorithmic aspects are discussed.

math.MG↗

arXiv2021

Braced triangulations and rigidity

We consider the problem of finding an inductive construction, based on vertex splitting, of triangulated spheres with a fixed number of additional edges (braces). We show that for any positive integer $b$ there is such an inductive construction of triangulations with $b$ braces, having finitely many base graphs. In particular we establish a bound for the maximum size of a base graph with $b$ braces that is linear in $b$. In the case that $b=1$ or $2$ we determine the list of base graphs explicitly. Using these results we show that doubly braced triangulations are (generically) minimally rigid in two distinct geometric contexts arising from a hypercylinder in $\mathbb{R}^4$ and a class of mixed norms on $\mathbb{R}^3$.

math.CO↗

arXiv2021

Topological inductive constructions for tight surface graphs

We investigate properties of sparse and tight surface graphs. In particular we derive topological inductive constructions for $(2, 2)$-tight surface graphs in the case of the sphere, the plane, the twice punctured sphere and the torus. In the case of the torus we identify all 116 irreducible base graphs and provide a geometric application involving contact graphs of configurations of circular arcs.

math.CO↗

arXiv2020

Symbol functions for symmetric frameworks

We prove a variant of the well-known result that intertwiners for the bilateral shift on `$\ell^2(Z)$ are unitarily equivalent to multiplication operators on $L^2(T)$. This enables us to unify and extend fundamental aspects of rigidity theory for bar-joint frameworks with an abelian symmetry group. In particular, we formulate the symbol function for a wide class of frameworks and show how to construct generalised rigid unit modes in a variety of new contexts.

math.FA↗

arXiv2020

Which graphs are rigid in $\ell_p^d$?

We present three results which support the conjecture that a graph is minimally rigid in $d$-dimensional $\ell_p$-space, where $p\in (1,\infty)$ and $p\not=2$, if and only if it is $(d,d)$-tight. Firstly, we introduce a graph bracing operation which preserves independence in the generic rigidity matroid when passing from $\ell_p^d$ to $\ell_p^{d+1}$. We then prove that every $(d,d)$-sparse graph with minimum degree at most $d+1$ and maximum degree at most $d+2$ is independent in $\ell_p^d$. Finally, we prove that every triangulation of the projective plane is minimally rigid in $\ell_p^3$. A catalogue of rigidity preserving graph moves is also provided for the more general class of strictly convex and smooth normed spaces and we show that every triangulation of the sphere is independent for 3-dimensional spaces in this class.

math.MG↗

arXiv2020

Rigidity of symmetric frameworks in normed spaces

We develop a combinatorial rigidity theory for symmetric bar-joint frameworks in a general finite dimensional normed space. In the case of rotational symmetry, matroidal Maxwell-type sparsity counts are identified for a large class of $d$-dimensional normed spaces (including all $\ell^p$ spaces with $p\not=2$). Complete combinatorial characterisations are obtained for half-turn rotation in the $\ell^1$ and $\ell^\infty$-plane. As a key tool, a new Henneberg-type inductive construction is developed for the matroidal class of $(2,2,0)$-gain-tight graphs.

math.MG↗

arXiv2018

Crystal flex bases and the RUM spectrum

A theory of free spanning sets, free bases and their space group symmetric variants is developed for the first order flex spaces of infinite bar-joint frameworks. Such spanning sets and bases are computed for a range of fundamental crystallographic bar-joint frameworks, including the honeycomb (graphene) framework, the octahedron (perovskite) framework and the 2D and 3D kagome frameworks. It is also shown that the existence of crystal flex bases is closely related to linear structure in the rigid unit mode (RUM) spectrum and a more general geometric flex spectrum.

math-ph↗

arXiv2017

Graph rigidity for unitarily invariant matrix norms

A rigidity theory is developed for bar-joint frameworks in linear matrix spaces endowed with a unitarily invariant norm. Analogues of Maxwell's counting criteria are obtained and minimally rigid matrix frameworks are shown to belong to the matroidal class of (k,l)-sparse graphs for suitable k and l. A characterisation of infinitesimal rigidity is obtained for product norms and it is shown that K_6 - e (respectively, K_7) is the smallest minimally rigid graph for the class of 2 x 2 symmetric (respectively, hermitian) matrices with the trace norm.

math.MG↗

arXiv2017

Motions of grid-like reflection frameworks

Combinatorial characterisations are obtained of symmetric and anti-symmetric infinitesimal rigidity for two-dimensional frameworks with reflectional symmetry in the case of norms where the unit ball is a quadrilateral and where the reflection acts freely on the vertex set. At the framework level, these characterisations are given in terms of induced monochrome subgraph decompositions, and at the graph level they are given in terms of sparsity counts and recursive construction sequences for the corresponding signed quotient graphs.

math.MG↗

arXiv2016

Symmetric isostatic frameworks with $\ell^1$ or $\ell^\infty$ distance constraints

Combinatorial characterisations of minimal rigidity are obtained for symmetric 2-dimensional bar-joint frameworks with either $\ell^1$ or $\ell^\infty$ distance constraints. The characterisations are expressed in terms of symmetric tree packings and the number of edges fixed by the symmetry operations. The proof uses new Henneberg-type inductive construction schemes.

math.CO↗

arXiv2015

The generic minimal rigidity of a partially triangulated torus

A simple graph is $3$-rigid if its generic bar-joint frameworks in $R^3$ are infinitesimally rigid. Necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for the minimal $3$-rigidity of a simple graph which is obtained from the $1$-skeleton of a triangulated torus by the deletion of edges interior to a triangulated disc.

math.CO↗

arXiv2015

The generic rigidity of triangulated spheres with blocks and holes

A simple graph G=(V,E) is 3-rigid if its generic bar-joint frameworks in R3 are infinitesimally rigid. Block and hole graphs are derived from triangulated spheres by the removal of edges and the addition of minimally rigid subgraphs, known as blocks, in some of the resulting holes. Combinatorial characterisations of minimal $3$-rigidity are obtained for these graphs in the case of a single block and finitely many holes or a single hole and finitely many blocks. These results confirm a conjecture of Whiteley from 1988 and special cases of a stronger conjecture of Finbow-Singh and Whiteley from 2013.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

Maxwell-Laman counts for bar-joint frameworks in normed spaces

The rigidity matrix is a fundamental tool for studying the infinitesimal rigidity properties of Euclidean bar-joint frameworks. In this paper we generalize this tool and introduce a rigidity matrix for bar-joint frameworks in arbitrary finite dimensional real normed vector spaces. Using this new matrix, we derive necessary Maxwell-Laman-type counting conditions for a well-positioned bar-joint framework in a real normed vector space to be infinitesimally rigid. Moreover, we derive symmetry-extended counting conditions for a bar-joint framework with a non-trivial symmetry group to be isostatic (i.e., minimally infinitesimally rigid). These conditions imply very simply stated restrictions on the number of those structural components that are fixed by the various symmetry operations of the framework. Finally, we offer some observations and conjectures regarding combinatorial characterisations of 2-dimensional symmetric, isostatic bar-joint frameworks where the unit ball is a quadrilateral.

math.MG↗

arXiv2013

Infinitesimal rigidity for non-Euclidean bar-joint frameworks

The minimal infinitesimal rigidity of bar-joint frameworks in the non-Euclidean spaces (R^2, ||.||_q) are characterised in terms of (2,2)-tight graphs. Specifically, a generically placed bar-joint framework (G,p) in the plane is minimally infinitesimally rigid with respect to a non-Euclidean l^q norm if and only if the underlying graph G = (V,E) contains 2|V|-2 edges and every subgraph H=(V(H),E(H)) contains at most 2|V(H)|-2 edges.

math.MG↗