Construction of harmonic diffeomorphisms and minimal graphs

We study complete minimal graphs in HxR, which take asymptotic boundary values plus and minus infinity on alternating sides of an ideal inscribed polygon Γ in H. We give necessary and sufficient conditions on the "lenghts" of the sides of the polygon (and all inscribed polygons in Γ) that ensure the existence of such a graph. We then apply this to construct entire minimal graphs in HxR that are conformally the complex plane C. The vertical projection of such a graph yields a harmonic diffeomorphism from C onto H, disproving a conjecture of Rick Schoen

Holes or Empty Pseudo-Triangles in Planar Point Sets

Let $E(k, \ell)$ denote the smallest integer such that any set of at least $E(k, \ell)$ points in the plane, no three on a line, contains either an empty convex polygon with $k$ vertices or an empty pseudo-triangle with $\ell$ vertices. The existence of $E(k, \ell)$ for positive integers $k, \ell\geq 3$, is the consequence of a result proved by Valtr [Discrete and Computational Geometry, Vol. 37, 565--576, 2007]. In this paper, following a series of new results about the existence of empty pseudo-triangles in point sets with triangular convex hulls, we determine the exact values of $E(k, 5)$ and $E(5, \ell)$, and prove bounds on $E(k, 6)$ and $E(6, \ell)$, for $k, \ell\geq 3$. By dropping the emptiness condition, we define another related quantity $F(k, \ell)$, which is the smallest integer such that any set of at least $F(k, \ell)$ points in the plane, no three on a line, contains a convex polygon with $k$ vertices or a pseudo-triangle with $\ell$ vertices. Extending a result of Bisztriczky and T\'oth [Discrete Geometry, Marcel Dekker, 49--58, 2003], we obtain the exact values of $F(k, 5)$ and $F(k, 6)$, and obtain non-trivial bounds on $F(k, 7)$.Comment: A minor error in the proof of Theorem 2 fixed. Typos corrected. 19 pages, 11 figure

Graphs with Plane Outside-Obstacle Representations

An \emph{obstacle representation} of a graph consists of a set of polygonal obstacles and a distinct point for each vertex such that two points see each other if and only if the corresponding vertices are adjacent. Obstacle representations are a recent generalization of classical polygon--vertex visibility graphs, for which the characterization and recognition problems are long-standing open questions. In this paper, we study \emph{plane outside-obstacle representations}, where all obstacles lie in the unbounded face of the representation and no two visibility segments cross. We give a combinatorial characterization of the biconnected graphs that admit such a representation. Based on this characterization, we present a simple linear-time recognition algorithm for these graphs. As a side result, we show that the plane vertex--polygon visibility graphs are exactly the maximal outerplanar graphs and that every chordal outerplanar graph has an outside-obstacle representation.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

On Polygons Excluding Point Sets

By a polygonization of a finite point set $S$ in the plane we understand a simple polygon having $S$ as the set of its vertices. Let $B$ and $R$ be sets of blue and red points, respectively, in the plane such that $B\cup R$ is in general position, and the convex hull of $B$ contains $k$ interior blue points and $l$ interior red points. Hurtado et al. found sufficient conditions for the existence of a blue polygonization that encloses all red points. We consider the dual question of the existence of a blue polygonization that excludes all red points $R$. We show that there is a minimal number $K=K(l)$, which is polynomial in $l$, such that one can always find a blue polygonization excluding all red points, whenever $k\geq K$. Some other related problems are also considered.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figure

On k-Convex Polygons

We introduce a notion of $k$-convexity and explore polygons in the plane that have this property. Polygons which are \mbox{$k$-convex} can be triangulated with fast yet simple algorithms. However, recognizing them in general is a 3SUM-hard problem. We give a characterization of \mbox{$2$-convex} polygons, a particularly interesting class, and show how to recognize them in \mbox{$O(n \log n)$} time. A description of their shape is given as well, which leads to Erd\H{o}s-Szekeres type results regarding subconfigurations of their vertex sets. Finally, we introduce the concept of generalized geometric permutations, and show that their number can be exponential in the number of \mbox{$2$-convex} objects considered.Comment: 23 pages, 19 figure