Generating Functions For Kernels of Digraphs (Enumeration & Asymptotics for Nim Games)

In this article, we study directed graphs (digraphs) with a coloring constraint due to Von Neumann and related to Nim-type games. This is equivalent to the notion of kernels of digraphs, which appears in numerous fields of research such as game theory, complexity theory, artificial intelligence (default logic, argumentation in multi-agent systems), 0-1 laws in monadic second order logic, combinatorics (perfect graphs)... Kernels of digraphs lead to numerous difficult questions (in the sense of NP-completeness, #P-completeness). However, we show here that it is possible to use a generating function approach to get new informations: we use technique of symbolic and analytic combinatorics (generating functions and their singularities) in order to get exact and asymptotic results, e.g. for the existence of a kernel in a circuit or in a unicircuit digraph. This is a first step toward a generatingfunctionology treatment of kernels, while using, e.g., an approach "a la Wright". Our method could be applied to more general "local coloring constraints" in decomposable combinatorial structures.Comment: Presented (as a poster) to the conference Formal Power Series and Algebraic Combinatorics (Vancouver, 2004), electronic proceeding

Further topics in connectivity

Continuing the study of connectivity, initiated in §4.1 of the Handbook, we survey here some (sufficient) conditions under which a graph or digraph has a given connectivity or edge-connectivity. First, we describe results concerning maximal (vertex- or edge-) connectivity. Next, we deal with conditions for having (usually lower) bounds for the connectivity parameters. Finally, some other general connectivity measures, such as one instance of the so-called “conditional connectivity,” are considered. For unexplained terminology concerning connectivity, see §4.1.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

On the Subsets Product in Finite Groups

Let B be a proper subset of a finite group G such that either B = B−1 or G is abelian. We prove that there exists a subgroup H generated by an element of B with the following property. For every subset A of G such that A ∩ H ≠ ∅, either H ⊂ A ∪ AB or ❘A ∪ AB❘ , ❘A❘ + ❘B❘. This result generalizes the Cauchy-Davenport Theorem and two theorems of Chowla and Shepherdson

Graph theory and classical invariant theory

AbstractThis paper presents a simple graphical method, closely related to the “algebrochemical method” of Clifford and Sylvester, for computations in the classical invariant theory of binary forms. Applications to syzygies and transvectants of covariants, and the determination of a Hilbert basis of covariants using Gordan's method are presented