Families of Graphs with W_r({G},q) Functions That Are Nonanalytic at 1/q=0

Denoting $P(G,q)$ as the chromatic polynomial for coloring an $n$-vertex graph $G$ with $q$ colors, and considering the limiting function $W(\{G\},q) = \lim_{n \to \infty}P(G,q)^{1/n}$, a fundamental question in graph theory is the following: is $W_r(\{G\},q) = q^{-1}W(\{G\},q)$ analytic or not at the origin of the $1/q$ plane? (where the complex generalization of $q$ is assumed). This question is also relevant in statistical mechanics because $W(\{G\},q)=\exp(S_0/k_B)$, where $S_0$ is the ground state entropy of the $q$-state Potts antiferromagnet on the lattice graph $\{G\}$, and the analyticity of $W_r(\{G\},q)$ at $1/q=0$ is necessary for the large-$q$ series expansions of $W_r(\{G\},q)$. Although $W_r$ is analytic at $1/q=0$ for many $\{G\}$, there are some $\{G\}$ for which it is not; for these, $W_r$ has no large-$q$ series expansion. It is important to understand the reason for this nonanalyticity. Here we give a general condition that determines whether or not a particular $W_r(\{G\},q)$ is analytic at $1/q=0$ and explains the nonanalyticity where it occurs. We also construct infinite families of graphs with $W_r$ functions that are non-analytic at $1/q=0$ and investigate the properties of these functions. Our results are consistent with the conjecture that a sufficient condition for $W_r(\{G\},q)$ to be analytic at $1/q=0$ is that $\{G\}$ is a regular lattice graph $\Lambda$. (This is known not to be a necessary condition).Comment: 22 pages, Revtex, 4 encapsulated postscript figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Special curves and postcritically-finite polynomials

We study the postcritically-finite (PCF) maps in the moduli space of complex polynomials $\mathrm{MP}_d$. For a certain class of rational curves $C$ in $\mathrm{MP}_d$, we characterize the condition that $C$ contains infinitely many PCF maps. In particular, we show that if $C$ is parameterized by polynomials, then there are infinitely many PCF maps in $C$ if and only if there is exactly one active critical point along $C$, up to symmetries; we provide the critical orbit relation satisfied by any pair of active critical points. For the curves $\mathrm{Per}_1(\lambda)$ in the space of cubic polynomials, introduced by Milnor (1992), we show that $\mathrm{Per}_1(\lambda)$ contains infinitely many PCF maps if and only if $\lambda=0$. The proofs involve a combination of number-theoretic methods (specifically, arithmetic equidistribution) and complex-analytic techniques (specifically, univalent function theory). We provide a conjecture about Zariski density of PCF maps in subvarieties of the space of rational maps, in analogy with the Andr\'e-Oort Conjecture from arithmetic geometry.Comment: Final version, appeared in Forum of Math. P

Singularities and Topology of Meromorphic Functions

We present several aspects of the "topology of meromorphic functions", which we conceive as a general theory which includes the topology of holomorphic functions, the topology of pencils on quasi-projective spaces and the topology of polynomial functions.Comment: 21 pages, 1 figur