arXiv subjects

Glenn Hurlbert

Publications and source records attributed to Glenn Hurlbert.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

New injective proofs of the Erdős--Ko--Rado and Hilton--Milner theorems

A set system F is intersecting if any pair of sets in F have a nonempty intersection. A fundamental theorem of Erdős, Ko and Rado states that if F is an intersecting family of r-subsets of [n]={1,...,n}, and n>= 2r, then the cardinality of F is at most the cardinality of the family of all r-subsets of [n] containing a fixed element. Furthermore, when n>2r, equality holds if and only if F is the family of all r-subsets of [n] containing a fixed element. This characterization was proved as part of a stronger result by Hilton and Milner. In this note, we provide new injective proofs of the Erdős--Ko--Rado and the Hilton--Milner theorems.

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arXiv2017

Chvátal's conjecture for downsets of small rank

A starting point in the investigation of intersecting systems of subsets of a finite set is the elementary observation that the size of a family of pairwise intersecting subsets of a finite set [n]={1,...,n}, denoted by 2^{[n]}, is at most 2^{n-1}, with one of the extremal structures being the family comprised of all subsets of [n] containing a fixed element, called as a star. A longstanding conjecture of Chvátal aims to generalize this simple observation for all downsets of 2^{[n]}. In this note, we prove this conjecture for all downsets where every subset contains at most 3 elements.

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arXiv2017

Pebbling in Semi-2-Trees

Graph pebbling is a network model for transporting discrete resources that are consumed in transit. Deciding whether a given configuration on a particular graph can reach a specified target is ${\sf NP}$-complete, even for diameter two graphs, and deciding whether the pebbling number has a prescribed upper bound is $Π_2^{\sf P}$-complete. Recently we proved that the pebbling number of a split graph can be computed in polynomial time. This paper advances the program of finding other polynomial classes, moving away from the large tree width, small diameter case (such as split graphs) to small tree width, large diameter, continuing an investigation on the important subfamily of chordal graphs called $k$-trees. In particular, we provide a formula, that can be calculated in polynomial time, for the pebbling number of any semi-2-tree, falling shy of the result for the full class of 2-trees.

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arXiv2014

Gray Codes and Overlap Cycles for Restricted Weight Words

A Gray code is a listing structure for a set of combinatorial objects such that some consistent (usually minimal) change property is maintained throughout adjacent elements in the list. While Gray codes for m-ary strings have been considered in the past, we provide a new, simple Gray code for fixed-weight m-ary strings. In addition, we consider a relatively new type of Gray code known as overlap cycles and prove basic existence results concerning overlap cycles for fixed-weight and weight-range m-ary words.

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arXiv2013

s-Overlap Cycles for Permutations

The goal of this paper is to solve Problem 481 from the list of research problems in the special issue of Discrete Mathematics dedicated to the Banff International Research Station workshop on "Generalizations of de Bruijn Cycles and Gray Codes" in 2004. Overlap cycles are generalizations of de Bruijn cycles and Gray codes that were introduced originally in 2010 by Godbole et al. In this paper we prove that s-overlap cycles for k-permutations of [n] exist for all k<n.

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arXiv2013

Universal Cycles for Weak Orders

Universal cycles are generalizations of de Bruijn cycles and Gray codes that were introduced originally by Chung, Diaconis, and Graham in 1990. They have been developed by many authors since, for various combinatorial objects such as strings, subsets, permutations, partitions, vector spaces, and designs. One generalization of universal cycles, which require almost complete overlap of consecutive words, is s-overlap cycles, which relax such a constraint. In this paper we study weak orders, which are relations that are transitive and complete. We prove the existence of universal and s-overlap cycles for weak orders, as well as for fixed height and/or weight weak orders, and apply the results to cycles for ordered partitions as well.

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arXiv2013

1-Overlap Cycles for Steiner Triple Systems

A number of applications of Steiner triple systems (e.g. disk erasure codes) exist that require a special ordering of its blocks. Universal cycles, introduced by Chung, Diaconis, and Graham in 1992, and Gray codes are examples of listing elements of a combinatorial family in a specific manner, and Godbole invented the following generalization of these in 2010. 1-overlap cycles require a set of strings to be ordered so that the last letter of one string is the first letter of the next. In this paper, we prove the existence of 1-overlap cycles for automorphism free Steiner triple systems of each possible order. Since Steiner triple systems have the property that each block can be represented uniquely by a pair of points, these 1-overlap cycles can be compressed by omitting non-overlap points to produce rank two universal cycles on such designs, expanding on the results of Dewar.

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arXiv2012

Pebbling in Split Graphs

Graph pebbling is a network optimization model for transporting discrete resources that are consumed in transit: the movement of two pebbles across an edge consumes one of the pebbles. The pebbling number of a graph is the fewest number of pebbles t so that, from any initial configuration of t pebbles on its vertices, one can place a pebble on any given target vertex via such pebbling steps. It is known that deciding if a given configuration on a particular graph can reach a specified target is NP-complete, even for diameter two graphs, and that deciding if the pebbling number has a prescribed upper bound is Π_2^P-complete. On the other hand, for many families of graphs there are formulas or polynomial algorithms for computing pebbling numbers; for example, complete graphs, products of paths (including cubes), trees, cycles, diameter two graphs, and more. Moreover, graphs having minimum pebbling number are called Class 0, and many authors have studied which graphs are Class 0 and what graph properties guarantee it, with no characterization in sight. In this paper we investigate an important family of diameter three chordal graphs called split graphs; graphs whose vertex set can be partitioned into a clique and an independent set. We provide a formula for the pebbling number of a split graph, along with an algorithm for calculating it that runs in O(n^β) time, where β=2ω/(ω+1)\cong 1.41 and ω\cong 2.376 is the exponent of matrix multiplication. Furthermore we determine that all split graphs with minimum degree at least 3 are Class 0.

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arXiv2012

Overlap Cycles for Steiner Quadruple Systems

Steiner quadruple systems are set systems in which every triple is contained in a unique quadruple. It is will known that Steiner quadruple systems of order v, or SQS(v), exist if and only if v = 2, 4 mod 6. Universal cycles, introduced by Chung, Diaconis, and Graham in 1992, are a type of cyclic Gray code. Overlap cycles are generalizations of universal cycles that were introduced in 2010 by Godbole. Using Hanani's SQS constructions, we show that for every v = 2, 4 mod 6 with v > 4 there exists an SQS(v) that admits a 1-overlap cycle.

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arXiv2011

A linear optimization technique for graph pebbling

Graph pebbling is a network model for studying whether or not a given supply of discrete pebbles can satisfy a given demand via pebbling moves. A pebbling move across an edge of a graph takes two pebbles from one endpoint and places one pebble at the other endpoint; the other pebble is lost in transit as a toll. It has been shown that deciding whether a supply can meet a demand on a graph is NP-complete. The pebbling number of a graph is the smallest t such that every supply of t pebbles can satisfy every demand of one pebble. Deciding if the pebbling number is at most k is Π_2^P-complete. In this paper we develop a tool, called the Weight Function Lemma, for computing upper bounds and sometimes exact values for pebbling numbers with the assistance of linear optimization. With this tool we are able to calculate the pebbling numbers of much larger graphs than in previous algorithms, and much more quickly as well. We also obtain results for many families of graphs, in many cases by hand, with much simpler and remarkably shorter proofs than given in previously existing arguments (certificates typically of size at most the number of vertices times the maximum degree), especially for highly symmetric graphs. Here we apply the Weight Function Lemma to several specific graphs, including the Petersen, Lemke, 4th weak Bruhat, Lemke squared, and two random graphs, as well as to a number of infinite families of graphs, such as trees, cycles, graph powers of cycles, cubes, and some generalized Petersen and Coxeter graphs. This partly answers a question of Pachter, et al., by computing the pebbling exponent of cycles to within an asymptotically small range. It is conceivable that this method yields an approximation algorithm for graph pebbling.

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arXiv2009

Erdös-Ko-Rado theorems for chordal and bipartite graphs

One of the more recent generalizations of the Erdös-Ko-Rado theorem, formulated by Holroyd, Spencer and Talbot, defines the Erdös-Ko-Rado property for graphs in the following manner: for a graph G and a positive integer r, G is said to be r-EKR if no intersecting subfamily of the family of all independent vertex sets of size r is larger than the largest star, where a star centered at a vertex v is the family of all independent sets of size $r$ containing v. In this paper, we prove that if G is a disjoint union of chordal graphs, including at least one singleton, then G is r-EKR if $r\leq mu(G)/2$, where mu(G) is the minimum size of a maximal independent set. We will also prove Erdös-Ko-Rado results for chains of complete graphs, which are a class of chordal graphs obtained by blowing up edges of a path into complete graphs. We also consider similar problems for ladder graphs and trees, and prove preliminary results for these graphs.

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arXiv2008

Near universal cycles for subsets exist

Let S be a cyclic n-ary sequence. We say that S is a {\it universal cycle} ((n,k)-Ucycle) for k-subsets of [n] if every such subset appears exactly once contiguously in S, and is a Ucycle packing if every such subset appears at most once. Few examples of Ucycles are known to exist, so the relaxation to packings merits investigation. A family {S_n} of (n,k)-Ucycle packings for fixed k is a near-Ucycle if the length of S_n is $(1-o(1))\binom{n}{k}$. In this paper we prove that near-(n,k)-Ucycles exist for all k.

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arXiv2008

On Universal Cycles for Multisets

A Universal Cycle for t-multisets of [n]={1,...,n} is a cyclic sequence of $\binom{n+t-1}{t}$ integers from [n] with the property that each t-multiset of [n] appears exactly once consecutively in the sequence. For such a sequence to exist it is necessary that n divides $\binom{n+t-1}{t}$, and it is reasonable to conjecture that this condition is sufficient for large enough n in terms of t. We prove the conjecture completely for t in {2,3} and partially for t in {4,6}. These results also support a positive answer to a question of Knuth.

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arXiv2006

Two New Bijections on Lattice Paths

Suppose 2n voters vote sequentially for one of two candidates. For how many such sequences does one candidate have strictly more votes than the other at each stage of the voting? The answer is \binom{2n}{n} and, while easy enough to prove using generating functions, for example, only two combinatorial proofs exist, due to Kleitman and Gessel. In this paper we present two new (far simpler) bijective proofs.

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arXiv2005

Recent Progress in Graph Pebbling

The subject of graph pebbling has seen dramatic growth recently, both in the number of publications and in the breadth of variations and applications. Here we update the reader on the many developments that have occurred since the original Survey of Graph Pebbling in 1999.

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arXiv2004

The Cover Pebbling Number of Graphs

A pebbling move on a graph consists of taking two pebbles off of one vertex and placing one pebble on an adjacent vertex. In the traditional pebbling problem we try to reach a specified vertex of the graph by a sequence of pebbling moves. In this paper we investigate the case when every vertex of the graph must end up with at least one pebble after a series of pebbling moves. The cover pebbling number of a graph is the minimum number of pebbles such that however the pebbles are initially placed on the vertices of the graph we can eventually put a pebble on every vertex simultaneously. We find the cover pebbling numbers of trees and some other graphs. We also consider the more general problem where (possibly different) given numbers of pebbles are required for the vertices.

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arXiv2004

Girth, Pebbling, and Grid Thresholds

In this note we answer a question of Hurlbert about pebbling in graphs of high girth. Specifically we show that for every g there is a Class 0 graph of girth at least g. The proof uses the so-called Erdos construction and employs a recent result proved by Czygrinow, Hurlbert, Kierstead and Trotter. We also use the Czygrinow et al. result to prove that Graham's pebbling product conjecture holds for dense graphs. Finally, we consider a generalization of Graham's conjecture to thresholds of graph sequences and find reasonably tight bounds on the pebbling threshold of the sequence of d-dimensional grids, verifying an important instance the generalization.

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arXiv2004

The Pebbling Threshold of the Square of Cliques

Given an initial configuration of pebbles on a graph, one can move pebbles in pairs along edges, at the cost of one of the pebbles moved, with the objective of reaching a specified target vertex. The pebbling number of a graph is the minimum number of pebbles so that every configuration of that many pebbles can reach any chosen target. The pebbling threshold of a sequence of graphs is roughly the number of pebbles so that almost every (resp. almost no) configuration of asymptotically more (resp. fewer) pebbles can reach any chosen target. In this paper we find the pebbling threshold of the sequence of squares of cliques, improving upon an earlier result of Boyle and verifying an important instance of a probabilistic version of Graham's product conjecture.

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