3 research outputs found
Uniquely and 2-Uniquely Hamiltonian Graphs
In graph theory a Hamilton cycle is a walk around the vertices of a graph in which each vertex is visited exactly once, and then it returns to the starting vertex. The problem of determining whether a graph contains a Hamilton cycle has been studied extensively and is determined to belong to the so-called NP-complete family of problems for arbitrary graphs. Due to the difficulty in solving such a problem for an arbitrary graph, we set our sights on a family of graphs described by graph theorist John Sheehan. A maximum uniquely Hamiltonian graph contains the greatest number of edges possible while maintaining a single Hamilton cycle. Sheehan shows that for a graph with n nodes (for n \u3e= 4), the maximum number of edges it can contain is equal to (n^2/4) + 1. We will describe an algorithm that finds the Hamilton cycle for any such graph or any of its subgraphs in polynomial time. This algorithm shows that these graphs do not suffer the same complexity issues as do arbitrary graphs for a Hamilton cycle problem. For any graph containing a single Hamilton cycle, that cycle can be revealed in polynomial time
Graphs with few Hamiltonian Cycles
We describe an algorithm for the exhaustive generation of non-isomorphic
graphs with a given number of hamiltonian cycles, which is especially
efficient for small . Our main findings, combining applications of this
algorithm and existing algorithms with new theoretical results, revolve around
graphs containing exactly one hamiltonian cycle (1H) or exactly three
hamiltonian cycles (3H). Motivated by a classic result of Smith and recent work
of Royle, we show that there exist nearly cubic 1H graphs of order iff is even. This gives the strongest form of a theorem of Entringer and
Swart, and sheds light on a question of Fleischner originally settled by
Seamone. We prove equivalent formulations of the conjecture of Bondy and
Jackson that every planar 1H graph contains two vertices of degree 2, verify it
up to order 16, and show that its toric analogue does not hold. We treat
Thomassen's conjecture that every hamiltonian graph of minimum degree at least
contains an edge such that both its removal and its contraction yield
hamiltonian graphs. We also verify up to order 21 the conjecture of Sheehan
that there is no 4-regular 1H graph. Extending work of Schwenk, we describe all
orders for which cubic 3H triangle-free graphs exist. We verify up to order
Cantoni's conjecture that every planar cubic 3H graph contains a triangle,
and show that there exist infinitely many planar cyclically 4-edge-connected
cubic graphs with exactly four hamiltonian cycles, thereby answering a question
of Chia and Thomassen. Finally, complementing work of Sheehan on 1H graphs of
maximum size, we determine the maximum size of graphs containing exactly one
hamiltonian path and give, for every order , the exact number of such graphs
on vertices and of maximum size.Comment: 29 pages; to appear in Mathematics of Computatio