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Eckhard Steffen

Publications and source records attributed to Eckhard Steffen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Some conjectures on $r$-graphs and equivalences

An $r$-regular graph is an $r$-graph, if every odd set of vertices is connected to its complement by at least $r$ edges. Seymour [On multicolourings of cubic graphs, and conjectures of Fulkerson and Tutte.~\emph{Proc.~London Math.~Soc.}~(3), 38(3): 423-460, 1979] conjectured (1) that every planar $r$-graph is $r$-edge colorable and (2) that every $r$-graph has $2r$ perfect matchings such that every edge is contained in precisely two of them. We study several variants of these conjectures. A $(t,r)$-PM is a multiset of $t \cdot r$ perfect matchings of an $r$-graph $G$ such that every edge is in precisely $t$ of them. We show that the following statements are equivalent for every $t, r \geq 1$: 1. Every planar $r$-graph has a $(t,r)$-PM. 2. Every $K_5$-minor-free $r$-graph has a $(t,r)$-PM. 3. Every $K_{3,3}$-minor-free $r$-graph has a $(t,r)$-PM. 4. Every $r$-graph whose underlying simple graph has crossing number at most $1$ has a $(t,r)$-PM.

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arXiv2024

Information dissemination and confusion in signed networks

We introduce a model of information dissemination in signed networks. It is a discrete-time process in which uninformed actors incrementally receive information from their informed neighbors or from the outside. Our goal is to minimize the number of confused actors - that is, the number of actors who receive contradictory information. We prove upper bounds for the number of confused actors in signed networks and in equivalence classes of signed networks. In particular, we show that there are signed networks where, for any information placement strategy, almost 60\% of the actors are confused. Furthermore, this is also the case when considering the minimum number of confused actors within an equivalence class of signed graphs.

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arXiv2023

Edge-connectivity and pairwise disjoint perfect matchings in regular graphs

For $0 \leq t \leq r$ let $m(t,r)$ be the maximum number $s$ such that every $t$-edge-connected $r$-graph has $s$ pairwise disjoint perfect matchings. There are only a few values of $m(t,r)$ known, for instance $m(3,3)=m(4,r)=1$, and $m(t,r) \leq r-2$ for all $t \not = 5$, and $m(t,r) \leq r-3$ if $r$ is even. We prove that $m(2l,r) \leq 3l - 6$ for every $l \geq 3$ and $r \geq 2 l$.

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arXiv2023

Pairwise disjoint perfect matchings in $r$-edge-connected $r$-regular graphs

Thomassen [Problem 1 in Factorizing regular graphs, J. Combin. Theory Ser. B, 141 (2020), 343-351] asked whether every $r$-edge-connected $r$-regular graph of even order has $r-2$ pairwise disjoint perfect matchings. We show that this is not the case if $r \equiv 2 \text{ mod } 4$. Together with a recent result of Mattiolo and Steffen [Highly edge-connected regular graphs without large factorizable subgraphs, J. Graph Theory, 99 (2022), 107-116] this solves Thomassen's problem for all even $r$. It turns out that our methods are limited to the even case of Thomassen's problem. We then prove some equivalences of statements on pairwise disjoint perfect matchings in highly edge-connected regular graphs, where the perfect matchings contain or avoid fixed sets of edges. Based on these results we relate statements on pairwise disjoint perfect matchings of 5-edge-connected 5-regular graphs to well-known conjectures for cubic graphs, such as the Fan-Raspaud Conjecture, the Berge-Fulkerson Conjecture and the $5$-Cycle Double Cover Conjecture.

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arXiv2023

Bounds for the chromatic index of signed multigraphs

The paper studies edge-coloring of signed multigraphs and extends classical Theorems of Shannon and König to signed multigraphs. We prove that the chromatic index of a signed multigraph $(G,σ_G)$ is at most $\lfloor \frac{3}{2} Δ(G) \rfloor$. Furthermore, the chromatic index of a balanced signed multigraph $(H,σ_H)$ is at most $Δ(H) + 1$ and the balanced signed multigraphs with chromatic index $Δ(H)$ are characterized.

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arXiv2023

Sets of $r$-graphs that color all $r$-graphs

An $r$-regular graph is an $r$-graph, if every odd set of vertices is connected to its complement by at least $r$ edges. Let $G$ and $H$ be $r$-graphs. An $H$-coloring of $G$ is a mapping $f\colon E(G) \to E(H)$ such that each $r$ adjacent edges of $G$ are mapped to $r$ adjacent edges of $H$. For every $r\geq 3$, let $\mathcal{H}_r$ be an inclusion-wise minimal set of connected $r$-graphs, such that for every connected $r$-graph $G$ there is an $H \in \mathcal{H}_r$ which colors $G$. We show that $\mathcal{H}_r$ is unique and characterize $\mathcal{H}_r$ by showing that $G \in \mathcal{H}_r$ if and only if the only connected $r$-graph coloring $G$ is $G$ itself. The Petersen Coloring Conjecture states that the Petersen graph $P$ colors every bridgeless cubic graph. We show that if true, this is a very exclusive situation. Indeed, either $\mathcal{H}_3 = \{P\}$ or $\mathcal{H}_3$ is an infinite set and if $r \geq 4$, then $\mathcal{H}_r$ is an infinite set. Similar results hold for the restriction on simple $r$-graphs. By definition, $r$-graphs of class $1$ (i.e. those having edge-chromatic number equal to $r$) can be colored with any $r$-graph. Hence, our study will focus on those $r$-graphs whose edge-chromatic number is bigger than $r$, also called $r$-graphs of class $2$. We determine the set of smallest $r$-graphs of class 2 and show that it is a subset of $\mathcal{H}_r$.

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arXiv2023

Rotation $r$-graphs

We study rotation $r$-graphs and show that for every $r$-graph $G$ of odd regularity there is a simple rotation $r$-graph $G'$ such that $G$ can be obtained form $G'$ by a finite number of $2$-cut reductions. As a consequence, some hard conjectures as the (generalized) Berge-Fulkerson Conjecture and Tutte's 3- and 5-flow conjecture can be reduced to rotation $r$-graphs.

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arXiv2023

Critically 3-frustrated signed graphs

Extending the notion of maxcut, the study of the frustration index of signed graphs is one of the basic questions in the theory of signed graphs. Recently two of the authors initiated the study of critically frustrated signed graphs. That is a signed graph whose frustration index decreases with the removal of any edge. The main focus of this study is on critical signed graphs which are not edge-disjoint unions of critically frustrated signed graphs (namely non-decomposable signed graphs) and which are not built from other critically frustrated signed graphs by subdivision. We conjecture that for any given $k$ there are only finitely many critically $k$-frustrated signed graphs of this kind. Providing support for this conjecture we show that there are only two of such critically $3$-frustrated signed graphs where there is no pair of edge-disjoint negative cycles. Similarly, we show that there are exactly ten critically $3$-frustrated signed planar graphs that are neither decomposable nor subdivisions of other critically frustrated signed graphs. We present a method for building non-decomposable critically frustrated signed graphs based on two given such signed graphs. We also show that the condition of being non-decomposable is necessary for our conjecture.

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arXiv2022

Symmetric Set Coloring of Signed Graphs

There are many concepts of signed graph coloring which are defined by assigning colors to the vertices of the graphs. These concepts usually differ in the number of self-inverse colors used. We introduce a unifying concept for this kind of coloring by assigning elements from symmetric sets to the vertices of the signed graphs. In the first part of the paper, we study colorings with elements from symmetric sets where the number of self-inverse elements is fixed. We prove a Brooks'-type theorem and upper bounds for the corresponding chromatic numbers in terms of the chromatic number of the underlying graph. These results are used in the second part where we introduce the symset-chromatic number $χ_{sym}(G,σ)$ of a signed graph $(G,σ)$. We show that the symset-chromatic number gives the minimum partition of a signed graph into independent sets and non-bipartite antibalanced subgraphs. In particular, $χ_{sym}(G,σ) \leq χ(G)$. In the final section we show that these colorings can also be formalized as $DP$-colorings.

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arXiv2022

Frustration-critical signed graphs

A signed graph $(G,Σ)$ is a graph $G$ together with a set $Σ\subseteq E(G)$ of negative edges. A circuit is positive if the product of the signs of its edges is positive. A signed graph $(G,Σ)$ is balanced if all its circuits are positive. The frustration index $l(G,Σ)$ is the minimum cardinality of a set $E \subseteq E(G)$ such that $(G-E,Σ-E)$ is balanced, and $(G,Σ)$ is $k$-critical if $l(G,Σ) = k$ and $l(G-e, Σ- e)<k$, for every $e \in E(G)$. We study decomposition and subdivision of critical signed graphs and completely determine the set of $t$-critical signed graphs, for $t \leq 2$. Critical signed graphs are characterized. We then focus on non-decomposable critical signed graphs. In particular, we characterize the set $S^*$ of non-decomposable $k$-critical signed graphs not containing a decomposable $t$-critical signed subgraph for every $t \leq k$. We prove that $S^*$ consists of cyclically 4-edge-connected projective-planar cubic graphs. Furthermore, we construct $k$-critical signed graphs of $S^*$ for every $k \geq 1$.

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arXiv2022

Even factors in edge-chromatic-critical graphs with a small number of divalent vertices

A finite simple connected graph $G$ with maximum degree $k$ is $k$-critical if it has chromatic index $χ'(G)=k+1$ and $χ'(G-e)=k$ for every edge $e\in E(G)$. Bej and the first author raised the question whether every $k$-critical graph has an even factor. We prove that every $k$-critical graph with at most $2k-6$ vertices of degree 2 has an even factor.

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arXiv2021

Fractional matchings, component-factors and edge-chromatic critical graphs

The first part of the paper studies star-cycle factors of graphs. It characterizes star-cycle factors of a graph $G$ and proves upper bounds for the minimum number of $K_{1,2}$-components in a $\{K_{1,1}, K_{1,2}, C_n\colon n\ge 3\}$-factor of a graph $G$. Furthermore, it shows where these components are located with respect to the Gallai-Edmonds decomposition of $G$ and it characterizes the edges which are not contained in any $\{K_{1,1}, K_{1,2}, C_n\colon n\ge 3\}$-factor of $G$. The second part of the paper proves that every edge-chromatic critical graph $G$ has a $\{K_{1,1}, K_{1,2}, C_n\colon n\ge 3\}$-factor, and the number of $K_{1,2}$-components is bounded in terms of its fractional matching number. Furthermore, it shows that for every edge $e$ of $G$, there is a $\{K_{1,1}, K_{1,2}, C_n\colon n\ge 3\}$-factor $F$ with $e \in E(F)$. Consequences of these results for Vizing's critical graph conjectures are discussed.

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arXiv2020

Concepts of signed graph coloring

This paper surveys recent development of concepts related to coloring of signed graphs. Various approaches are presented and discussed.

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arXiv2020

Edge colorings and circular flows on regular graphs

Let $ϕ_c(G)$ be the circular flow number of a bridgeless graph $G$. In [Edge-colorings and circular flow numbers of regular graphs, J. Graph Theory 79 (2015) 1-7] it was proved that, for every $t \geq 1$, $G$ is a bridgeless $(2t+1)$-regular graph with $ϕ_c(G) \in \{2+\frac{1}{t}, 2 + \frac{2}{2t-1}\}$ if and only if $G$ has a perfect matching $M$ such that $G-M$ is bipartite. This implies that $G$ is a class 1 graph. For $t=1$, all graphs with circular flow number bigger than 4 are class 2 graphs. We show for all $t \geq 1$, that $2 + \frac{2}{2t-1} = \inf \{ ϕ_c(G)\colon G \text{ is a } (2t+1) \text{-regular class } 2 \text{ graph}\}$. This was conjectured to be true in [Edge-colorings and circular flow numbers of regular graphs, J. Graph Theory 79 (2015) 1-7]. Moreover we prove that $\inf\{ ϕ_c(G)\colon G $ is a $ (2t+1)$-regular class $1$ graph with no perfect matching whose removal leaves a bipartite graph$ \} = 2 + \frac{2}{2t-1}$. We further disprove the conjecture that every $(2t+1)$-regular class $1$ graph has circular flow number at most $2+\frac{2}{t}$.

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arXiv2019

Highly edge-connected regular graphs without large factorizable subgraphs

We construct highly edge-connected $r$-regular graph which do not contain $r-2$ pairwise disjoint perfect matchings. The results partially answer a question stated by Thomassen [Factorizing regular graphs, J. Comb. Theory Ser. B (2019), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jctb.2019.05.002 (article in press)].

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arXiv2019

Unions of 1-factors in $r$-graphs and overfull graphs

We prove lower bounds for the fraction of edges of an $r$-graph which can be covered by the union of $k$ 1-factors. The special case $r=3$ yields some known results for cubic graphs. Furthermore, we introduce the concept of $k$-overfull-free $r$-graphs and achieve better bounds for these graphs.

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arXiv2019

Approximating Vizing's independence number conjecture

In 1965, Vizing conjectured that the independence ratio of edge-chromatic critical graphs is at most $\frac{1}{2}$. We prove that for every $ε> 0$ this conjecture is equivalent to its restriction on a specific set of edge-chromatic critical graphs with independence ratio smaller than $\frac{1}{2} + ε$.

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