Asymptotic enumeration of labelled 4-regular planar graphs

Building on previous work by the present authors [Proc. London Math. Soc. 119(2):358--378, 2019], we obtain a precise asymptotic estimate for the number $g_n$ of labelled 4-regular planar graphs. Our estimate is of the form $g_n \sim g\cdot n^{-7/2} \rho^{-n} n!$, where $g>0$ is a constant and $\rho \approx 0.24377$ is the radius of convergence of the generating function $\sum_{n\ge 0}g_n x^n/n!$, and conforms to the universal pattern obtained previously in the enumeration of planar graphs. In addition to analytic methods, our solution needs intensive use of computer algebra in order to work with large systems of polynomials equations. In particular, we use evaluation and Lagrange interpolation in order to compute resultants of multivariate polynomials. We also obtain asymptotic estimates for the number of 2- and 3-connected 4-regular planar graphs, and for the number of 4-regular simple maps, both connected and 2-connected.Comment: 23 pages, including 5 pages of appendix. Corrected titl

On the expected number of perfect matchings in cubic planar graphs

A well-known conjecture by Lov\'asz and Plummer from the 1970s asserted that a bridgeless cubic graph has exponentially many perfect matchings. It was solved in the affirmative by Esperet et al. (Adv. Math. 2011). On the other hand, Chudnovsky and Seymour (Combinatorica 2012) proved the conjecture in the special case of cubic planar graphs. In our work we consider random bridgeless cubic planar graphs with the uniform distribution on graphs with $n$ vertices. Under this model we show that the expected number of perfect matchings in labeled bridgeless cubic planar graphs is asymptotically $c\gamma^n$, where $c>0$ and $\gamma \sim 1.14196$ is an explicit algebraic number. We also compute the expected number of perfect matchings in (non necessarily bridgeless) cubic planar graphs and provide lower bounds for unlabeled graphs. Our starting point is a correspondence between counting perfect matchings in rooted cubic planar maps and the partition function of the Ising model in rooted triangulations.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure

Chromatic Polynomials for J(∏H)IJ(\prod H)I Strip Graphs and their Asymptotic Limits

We calculate the chromatic polynomials $P$ for $n$-vertex strip graphs of the form $J(\prod_{\ell=1}^m H)I$, where $J$ and $I$ are various subgraphs on the left and right ends of the strip, whose bulk is comprised of $m$-fold repetitions of a subgraph $H$. The strips have free boundary conditions in the longitudinal direction and free or periodic boundary conditions in the transverse direction. This extends our earlier calculations for strip graphs of the form $(\prod_{\ell=1}^m H)I$. We use a generating function method. From these results we compute the asymptotic limiting function $W=\lim_{n \to \infty}P^{1/n}$; for $q \in {\mathbb Z}_+$ this has physical significance as the ground state degeneracy per site (exponent of the ground state entropy) of the $q$-state Potts antiferromagnet on the given strip. In the complex $q$ plane, $W$ is an analytic function except on a certain continuous locus ${\cal B}$. In contrast to the $(\prod_{\ell=1}^m H)I$ strip graphs, where ${\cal B}$ (i) is independent of $I$, and (ii) consists of arcs and possible line segments that do not enclose any regions in the $q$ plane, we find that for some $J(\prod_{\ell=1}^m H)I$ strip graphs, ${\cal B}$ (i) does depend on $I$ and $J$, and (ii) can enclose regions in the $q$ plane. Our study elucidates the effects of different end subgraphs $I$ and $J$ and of boundary conditions on the infinite-length limit of the strip graphs.Comment: 33 pages, Latex, 7 encapsulated postscript figures, Physica A, in press, with some typos fixe