A transfer principle and applications to eigenvalue estimates for graphs

In this paper, we prove a variant of the Burger-Brooks transfer principle which, combined with recent eigenvalue bounds for surfaces, allows to obtain upper bounds on the eigenvalues of graphs as a function of their genus. More precisely, we show the existence of a universal constants $C$ such that the $k$-th eigenvalue $\lambda_k^{nr}$ of the normalized Laplacian of a graph $G$ of (geometric) genus $g$ on $n$ vertices satisfies $$\lambda_k^{nr}(G) \leq C \frac{d_{\max}(g+k)}{n},$$ where $d_{\max}$ denotes the maximum valence of vertices of the graph. This result is tight up to a change in the value of the constant $C$, and improves recent results of Kelner, Lee, Price and Teng on bounded genus graphs. To show that the transfer theorem might be of independent interest, we relate eigenvalues of the Laplacian on a metric graph to the eigenvalues of its simple graph models, and discuss an application to the mesh partitioning problem, extending pioneering results of Miller-Teng-Thurston-Vavasis and Spielman-Tang to arbitrary meshes.Comment: Major revision, 16 page

Master integrals for the NNLO virtual corrections to qqˉ→ttˉq \bar{q} \rightarrow t \bar{t} scattering in QCD: the non-planar graphs

We complete the analytic evaluation of the master integrals for the two-loop non-planar box diagrams contributing to the top-pair production in the quark-initiated channel, at next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD. The integrals are determined from their differential equations, which are cast into a canonical form using the Magnus exponential. The analytic expressions of the Laurent series coefficients of the integrals are expressed as combinations of generalized polylogarithms, which we validate with several numerical checks. We discuss the analytic continuation of the planar and the non-planar master integrals, which contribute to $q {\bar q} \to t {\bar t}$ in QCD, as well as to the companion QED scattering processes $e e \to \mu \mu$ and $e \mu \to e \mu$.Comment: 1+26 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, 3 ancillary files. v2: references added, text partly reworded, results unmodifie

Random Walks Along the Streets and Canals in Compact Cities: Spectral analysis, Dynamical Modularity, Information, and Statistical Mechanics

Different models of random walks on the dual graphs of compact urban structures are considered. Analysis of access times between streets helps to detect the city modularity. The statistical mechanics approach to the ensembles of lazy random walkers is developed. The complexity of city modularity can be measured by an information-like parameter which plays the role of an individual fingerprint of {\it Genius loci}. Global structural properties of a city can be characterized by the thermodynamical parameters calculated in the random walks problem.Comment: 44 pages, 22 figures, 2 table

The Z2\mathbb{Z}_2-genus of Kuratowski minors

A drawing of a graph on a surface is independently even if every pair of nonadjacent edges in the drawing crosses an even number of times. The $\mathbb{Z}_2$-genus of a graph $G$ is the minimum $g$ such that $G$ has an independently even drawing on the orientable surface of genus $g$. An unpublished result by Robertson and Seymour implies that for every $t$, every graph of sufficiently large genus contains as a minor a projective $t\times t$ grid or one of the following so-called $t$-Kuratowski graphs: $K_{3,t}$, or $t$ copies of $K_5$ or $K_{3,3}$ sharing at most $2$ common vertices. We show that the $\mathbb{Z}_2$-genus of graphs in these families is unbounded in $t$; in fact, equal to their genus. Together, this implies that the genus of a graph is bounded from above by a function of its $\mathbb{Z}_2$-genus, solving a problem posed by Schaefer and \v{S}tefankovi\v{c}, and giving an approximate version of the Hanani-Tutte theorem on orientable surfaces. We also obtain an analogous result for Euler genus and Euler $\mathbb{Z}_2$-genus of graphs.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures; a few references added and correcte