arXiv subjects

Guangming Jing

Publications and source records attributed to Guangming Jing.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

On Edge Coloring of Multigraphs

Let $\Delta(G)$ and $\chi'(G)$ be the maximum degree and chromatic index of a graph $G$, respectively. Appearing in different forms, Gupta\,(1967), Goldberg\,(1973), Andersen\,(1977), and Seymour\,(1979) made the following conjecture: Every multigraph $G$ satisfies $\chi'(G) \le \max\{ \Delta(G) + 1, \Gamma(G) \}$, where $\Gamma(G) = \max_{H \subseteq G, |V(H)|\geq 2} \left\lceil \frac{ |E(H)| }{ \lfloor \tfrac{1}{2} |V(H)| \rfloor} \right\rceil$ is the density of $G$. In this paper, we present a polynomial-time algorithm for coloring any multigraph with $\max\{ \Delta(G) + 1, \Gamma(G) \}$ colors, confirming the conjecture algorithmically. Since $\chi'(G)\geq \max\{ \Delta(G), \Gamma(G) \}$, this algorithm gives a proper edge coloring that uses at most one more color than the optimum. As determining the chromatic index of an arbitrary graph is $NP$-hard, the $\max\{ \Delta(G) + 1, \Gamma(G) \}$ bound is best possible for efficient proper edge coloring algorithms on general multigraphs, unless $P=NP$. Related work of Chen, Hao, Yu, and Zang have also obtained an algorithm using similar high-level ideas; the present approach establishes a complete proof.

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arXiv2022

Decomposition of class II graphs into two class I graphs

Mkrtchyan and Steffen [J. Graph Theory, 70 (4), 473--482, 2012] showed that every class II simple graph can be decomposed into a maximum $Δ$-edge-colorable subgraph and a matching. They further conjectured that every graph $G$ with chromatic index $Δ(G)+k$ ($k\geq 1$) can be decomposed into a maximum $Δ(G)$-edge-colorable subgraph (not necessarily class I) and a $k$-edge-colorable subgraph. In this paper, we first generalize their result to multigraphs and show that every multigraph $G$ with multiplicity $μ$ can be decomposed into a maximum $Δ(G)$-edge-colorable subgraph and a subgraph with maximum degree at most $μ$. Then we prove that every graph $G$ with chromatic index $Δ(G)+k$ can be decomposed into two class I subgraphs $H_1$ and $H_2$ such that $Δ(H_1) = Δ(G)$ and $Δ(H_2) = k$, which is a variation of their conjecture.

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arXiv2022

Overfullness of edge-critical graphs with small minimal core degree

Let $G$ be a simple graph. Denote by $n$, $Δ(G)$ and $χ' (G)$ be the order, the maximum degree and the chromatic index of $G$, respectively. We call $G$ \emph{overfull} if $|E(G)|/\lfloor n/2\rfloor > Δ(G)$, and {\it critical} if $χ'(H) < χ'(G)$ for every proper subgraph $H$ of $G$. Clearly, if $G$ is overfull then $χ'(G) = Δ(G)+1$. The \emph{core} of $G$, denoted by $G_Δ$, is the subgraph of $G$ induced by all its maximum degree vertices. We believe that utilizing the core degree condition could be considered as an approach to attacking the overfull conjecture. Along this direction, we in this paper show that for any integer $k\geq 2$, if $G$ is critical with $Δ(G)\geq \frac{2}{3}n+\frac{3k}{2}$ and $δ(G_Δ)\leq k$, then $G$ is overfull.

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arXiv2022

Proof of the Goldberg-Seymour Conjecture on Edge-Colorings of Multigraphs

Given a multigraph $G=(V,E)$, the {\em edge-coloring problem} (ECP) is to color the edges of $G$ with the minimum number of colors so that no two adjacent edges have the same color. This problem can be naturally formulated as an integer program, and its linear programming relaxation is called the {\em fractional edge-coloring problem} (FECP). In the literature, the optimal value of ECP (resp. FECP) is called the {\em chromatic index} (resp. {\em fractional chromatic index}) of $G$, denoted by $χ'(G)$ (resp. $χ^*(G)$). Let $Δ(G)$ be the maximum degree of $G$ and let \[Γ(G)=\max \Big\{\frac{2|E(U)|}{|U|-1}:\,\, U \subseteq V, \,\, |U|\ge 3 \hskip 2mm {\rm and \hskip 2mm odd} \Big\},\] where $E(U)$ is the set of all edges of $G$ with both ends in $U$. Clearly, $\max\{Δ(G), \, \lceil Γ(G) \rceil \}$ is a lower bound for $χ'(G)$. As shown by Seymour, $χ^*(G)=\max\{Δ(G), \, Γ(G)\}$. In the 1970s Goldberg and Seymour independently conjectured that $χ'(G) \le \max\{Δ(G)+1, \, \lceil Γ(G) \rceil\}$. Over the past four decades this conjecture, a cornerstone in modern edge-coloring, has been a subject of extensive research, and has stimulated a significant body of work. In this paper we present a proof of this conjecture. Our result implies that, first, there are only two possible values for $χ'(G)$, so an analogue to Vizing's theorem on edge-colorings of simple graphs, a fundamental result in graph theory, holds for multigraphs; second, although it is $NP$-hard in general to determine $χ'(G)$, we can approximate it within one of its true value, and find it exactly in polynomial time when $Γ(G)>Δ(G)$; third, every multigraph $G$ satisfies $χ'(G)-χ^*(G) \le 1$, so FECP has a fascinating integer rounding property.

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arXiv2022

Precoloring extension of Vizing's Theorem for multigraphs

Let $G$ be a graph with maximum degree $Δ(G)$ and maximum multiplicity $μ(G)$. Vizing and Gupta, independently, proved in the 1960s that the chromatic index of $G$ is at most $Δ(G)+μ(G)$. The distance between two edges $e$ and $f$ in $G$ is the length of a shortest path connecting an endvertex of $e$ and an endvertex of $f$. A distance-$t$ matching is a set of edges having pairwise distance at least $t$. Edwards et al. proposed the following conjecture: For any graph $G$, using the palette $\{1, \dots, Δ(G)+μ(G)\}$, any precoloring on a distance-$2$ matching can be extended to a proper edge coloring of $G$. Girão and Kang verified this conjecture for distance-$9$ matchings. In this paper, we improve the required distance from $9$ to $3$ for multigraphs $G$ with $μ(G) \ge 2$.

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arXiv2021

A note on Goldberg's conjecture on total chromatic numbers

Let $G=(V(G), E(G))$ be a multigraph with maximum degree $Δ(G)$, chromatic index $χ'(G)$ and total chromatic number $χ''(G)$. The Total Coloring conjecture proposed by Behzad and Vizing, independently, states that $χ''(G)\leq Δ(G)+μ(G) +1$ for a multigraph $G$, where $μ(G)$ is the multiplicity of $G$. Moreover, Goldberg conjectured that $χ''(G)=χ'(G)$ if $χ'(G)\geq Δ(G)+3$ and noticed the conjecture holds when $G$ is an edge-chromatic critical graph. By assuming the Goldberg-Seymour conjecture, we show that $χ''(G)=χ'(G)$ if $χ'(G)\geq \max\{ Δ(G)+2, |V(G)|+1\}$ in this note. Consequently, $χ''(G) = χ'(G)$ if $χ'(G) \ge Δ(G) +2$ and $G$ has a spanning edge-chromatic critical subgraph.

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arXiv2021

The Core Conjecture of Hilton and Zhao II: a Proof

A simple graph $G$ with maximum degree $Δ$ is overfull if $|E(G)|>Δ\lfloor |V(G)|/2\rfloor$. The core of $G$, denoted $G_Δ$, is the subgraph of $G$ induced by its vertices of degree $Δ$. Clearly, the chromatic index of $G$ equals $Δ+1$ if $G$ is overfull. Conversely, Hilton and Zhao in 1996 conjectured that if $G$ is a simple connected graph with $Δ\ge 3$ and $Δ(G_Δ)\le 2$, then $χ'(G)=Δ+1$ implies that $G$ is overfull or $G=P^*$, where $P^*$ is obtained from the Petersen graph by deleting a vertex. Cariolaro and Cariolaro settled the base case $Δ=3$ in 2003, and Cranston and Rabern proved the next case $Δ=4$ in 2019. In this paper, we give a proof of this conjecture for all $Δ\ge 4$.

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arXiv2021

Pseudo-multifan and Lollipop

A simple graph $G$ with maximum degree $\Delta$ is \emph{overfull} if $|E(G)|>\Delta \lfloor |V(G)|/2\rfloor$. The \emph{core} of $G$, denoted $G_{\Delta}$, is the subgraph of $G$ induced by its vertices of degree $\Delta$. Clearly, the chromatic index of $G$ equals $\Delta+1$ if $G$ is overfull. Conversely, Hilton and Zhao in 1996 conjectured that if $G$ is a simple connected graph with $\Delta\ge 3$ and $\Delta(G_\Delta)\le 2$, then $\chi'(G)=\Delta+1$ implies that $G$ is overfull or $G=P^*$, where $P^*$ is obtained from the Petersen graph by deleting a vertex (Core Conjecture). The goal of this paper is to develop the concepts of ``pseudo-multifan'' and ``lollipop'' and study their properties in an edge colored graph. These concepts turn out to be powerful tools in edge coloring graphs with a small core degree.

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arXiv2021

The overfullness of graphs with small minimum degree and large maximum degree

Given a simple graph $G$, denote by $Δ(G)$, $δ(G)$, and $χ'(G)$ the maximum degree, the minimum degree, and the chromatic index of $G$, respectively. We say $G$ is \emph{$Δ$-critical} if $χ'(G)=Δ(G)+1$ and $χ'(H)\le Δ(G)$ for every proper subgraph $H$ of $G$; and $G$ is \emph{overfull} if $|E(G)|>Δ\lfloor |V(G)|/2 \rfloor$. Since a maximum matching in $G$ can have size at most $\lfloor |V(G)|/2 \rfloor$, it follows that $χ'(G) = Δ(G) +1$ if $G$ is overfull. Conversely, let $G$ be a $Δ$-critical graph. The well known overfull conjecture of Chetwynd and Hilton asserts that $G$ is overfull provided $Δ(G) > |V(G)|/3$. In this paper, we show that any $Δ$-critical graph $G$ is overfull if $Δ(G) - 7δ(G)/4\ge(3|V(G)|-17)/4$.

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arXiv2020

Proof of the Core Conjecture of Hilton and Zhao

Let $G$ be a simple graph with maximum degree $Δ$. We call $G$ \emph{overfull} if $|E(G)|>Δ\lfloor |V(G)|/2\rfloor$. The \emph{core} of $G$, denoted $G_Δ$, is the subgraph of $G$ induced by its vertices of degree $Δ$. A classic result of Vizing shows that $χ'(G)$, the chromatic index of $G$, is either $Δ$ or $Δ+1$. It is NP-complete to determine the chromatic index for a general graph. However, if $G$ is overfull then $χ'(G)=Δ+1$. Hilton and Zhao in 1996 conjectured that if $G$ is a simple connected graph with $Δ\ge 3$ and $Δ(G_Δ)\le 2$, then $χ'(G)=Δ+1$ if and only if $G$ is overfull or $G=P^*$, where $P^*$ is obtained from the Petersen graph by deleting a vertex. This conjecture, if true, implies an easy approach for calculating $χ'(G)$ for graphs $G$ satisfying the conditions. The progress on the conjecture has been slow: it was only confirmed for $Δ=3,4$, respectively, in 2003 and 2017. In this paper, we confirm this conjecture for all $Δ\ge 4$.

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arXiv2019

On Gupta's Co-density Conjecture

Let $G=(V,E)$ be a multigraph. The {\em cover index} $ξ(G)$ of $G$ is the greatest integer $k$ for which there is a coloring of $E$ with $k$ colors such that each vertex of $G$ is incident with at least one edge of each color. Let $δ(G)$ be the minimum degree of $G$ and let $Φ(G)$ be the {\em co-density} of $G$, defined by \[Φ(G)=\min \Big\{\frac{2|E^+(U)|}{|U|+1}:\,\, U \subseteq V, \,\, |U|\ge 3 \hskip 2mm {\rm and \hskip 2mm odd} \Big\},\] where $E^+(U)$ is the set of all edges of $G$ with at least one end in $U$. It is easy to see that $ξ(G) \le \min\{δ(G), \lfloor Φ(G) \rfloor\}$. In 1978 Gupta proposed the following co-density conjecture: Every multigraph $G$ satisfies $ξ(G)\ge \min\{δ(G)-1, \, \lfloor Φ(G) \rfloor\}$, which is the dual version of the Goldberg-Seymour conjecture on edge-colorings of multigraphs. In this note we prove that $ξ(G)\ge \min\{δ(G)-1, \, \lfloor Φ(G) \rfloor\}$ if $Φ(G)$ is not integral and $ξ(G)\ge \min\{δ(G)-2, \, \lfloor Φ(G) \rfloor-1\}$ otherwise. We also show that this co-density conjecture implies another conjecture concerning cover index made by Gupta in 1967.

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arXiv2018

Structural properties of edge-chromatic critical multigraphs

Appearing in different format, Gupta\,(1967), Goldberg\,(1973), Andersen\,(1977), and Seymour\,(1979) conjectured that if $G$ is an edge-$k$-critical graph with $k \ge Δ+1$, then $|V(G)|$ is odd and, for every edge $e$, $E(G-e)$ is a union of disjoint near-perfect matchings, where $Δ$ denotes the maximum degree of $G$. Tashkinov tree method shows that critical graphs contain a subgraph with two important properties named closed and elementary. Recently, efforts have been made in extending graphs beyond Tashkinov trees. However, these results can only keep one of the two essential properties. In this paper, we developed techniques to extend Tashkinov trees to larger subgraphs with both properties. Applying our result, we have improved almost all known results towards Goldberg's conjecture. In particular, we showed that Goldberg's conjecture holds for graph $G$ with $|V(G)| \le 39$ and $|Δ(G)| \le 39$ and Jacobsen's equivalent conjecture holds for $m \le 39$ while the previous known bound is $23$.

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arXiv2018

Independence number of edge-chromatic critical graphs

Let $G$ be a simple graph with maximum degree $Δ(G)$ and chromatic index $χ'(G)$. A classic result of Vizing indicates that either $χ'(G )=Δ(G)$ or $χ'(G )=Δ(G)+1$. The graph $G$ is called $Δ$-critical if $G$ is connected, $χ'(G )=Δ(G)+1$ and for any $e\in E(G)$, $χ'(G-e)=Δ(G)$. Let $G$ be an $n$-vertex $Δ$-critical graph. Vizing conjectured that $α(G)$, the independence number of $G$, is at most $\frac{n}{2}$. The current best result on this conjecture, shown by Woodall, is that $α(G)<\frac{3n}{5}$. We show that for any given $\varepsilon\in (0,1)$, there exist positive constants $d_0(\varepsilon)$ and $D_0(\varepsilon)$ such that if $G$ is an $n$-vertex $Δ$-critical graph with minimum degree at least $d_0$ and maximum degree at least $D_0$, then $α(G)<(\frac{1}{2}+\varepsilon)n$. In particular, we show that if $G$ is an $n$-vertex $Δ$-critical graph with minimum degree at least $d$ and $Δ(G)\ge (d+2)^{5d+10}$, then \[ α(G) < \left. \begin{cases} \frac{7n}{12}, & \text{if $d= 3$; } \frac{4n}{7}, & \text{if $d= 4$; } \frac{d+2+\sqrt[3]{(d-1)d}}{2d+4+\sqrt[3]{(d-1)d}}n<\frac{4n}{7}, & \text{if $d\ge 19$. } \end{cases} \right. \]

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arXiv2013

Sign patterns with minimum rank 3 and point-line configurations

A \emph{sign pattern (matrix)} is a matrix whose entries are from the set $\{+, -, 0\}$. The \emph{minimum rank} (respectively, \emph{rational minimum rank}) of a sign pattern matrix $\cal A$ is the minimum of the ranks of the real (respectively, rational) matrices whose entries have signs equal to the corresponding entries of $\cal A$. A sign pattern $\cal A$ is said to be \emph{condensed} if $\cal A$ has no zero row or column and no two rows or columns are identical or negatives of each other. In this paper, a new direct connection between condensed $m \times n $ sign patterns with minimum rank $r$ and $m$ point--$n$ hyperplane configurations in ${\mathbb R}^{r-1}$ is established. In particular, condensed sign patterns with minimum rank 3 are closed related to point--line configurations on the plane. It is proved that for any sign pattern $\cal A$ with minimum rank $r\geq 3$, if the number of zero entries on each column of $\cal A$ is at most $r-1$, then the rational minimum rank of $\cal A$ is also $r$. Furthermore, we construct the smallest known sign pattern whose minimum rank is 3 but whose rational minimum rank is greater than 3.

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