Weighted interlace polynomials

The interlace polynomials introduced by Arratia, Bollobas and Sorkin extend to invariants of graphs with vertex weights, and these weighted interlace polynomials have several novel properties. One novel property is a version of the fundamental three-term formula q(G)=q(G-a)+q(G^{ab}-b)+((x-1)^{2}-1)q(G^{ab}-a-b) that lacks the last term. It follows that interlace polynomial computations can be represented by binary trees rather than mixed binary-ternary trees. Binary computation trees provide a description of $q(G)$ that is analogous to the activities description of the Tutte polynomial. If $G$ is a tree or forest then these "algorithmic activities" are associated with a certain kind of independent set in $G$. Three other novel properties are weighted pendant-twin reductions, which involve removing certain kinds of vertices from a graph and adjusting the weights of the remaining vertices in such a way that the interlace polynomials are unchanged. These reductions allow for smaller computation trees as they eliminate some branches. If a graph can be completely analyzed using pendant-twin reductions then its interlace polynomial can be calculated in polynomial time. An intuitively pleasing property is that graphs which can be constructed through graph substitutions have vertex-weighted interlace polynomials which can be obtained through algebraic substitutions.Comment: 11 pages (v1); 20 pages (v2); 27 pages (v3); 26 pages (v4). Further changes may be made before publication in Combinatorics, Probability and Computin

Interlace Polynomials of Friendship Graphs

In this paper, we study the interlace polynomials of friendship graphs, that is, graphs that satisfy the Friendship Theorem given by Erdös, Rényi and Sos. Explicit formulas, special values and behavior of coefficients of these polynomials are provided. We also give the interlace polynomials of other similar graphs, such as, the butterfly graph

Polynomials with the half-plane property and matroid theory

A polynomial f is said to have the half-plane property if there is an open half-plane H, whose boundary contains the origin, such that f is non-zero whenever all the variables are in H. This paper answers several open questions regarding multivariate polynomials with the half-plane property and matroid theory. * We prove that the support of a multivariate polynomial with the half-plane property is a jump system. This answers an open question posed by Choe, Oxley, Sokal and Wagner and generalizes their recent result claiming that the same is true whenever the polynomial is also homogeneous. * We characterize multivariate multi-affine polynomial with real coefficients that have the half-plane property (with respect to the upper half-plane) in terms of inequalities. This is used to answer two open questions posed by Choe and Wagner regarding strongly Rayleigh matroids. * We prove that the Fano matroid is not the support of a polynomial with the half-plane property. This is the first instance of a matroid which does not appear as the support of a polynomial with the half-plane property and answers a question posed by Choe et al. We also discuss further directions and open problems.Comment: 17 pages. To appear in Adv. Mat

Interlace Polynomial of a Special Eulerian Graph

In a recent paper, Arratia, Bollobas and Sorkin discussed a graph polynomial defined recursively, which they call the interlace polynomial. There have been previous results on the interlace polynomials for special graphs, such as paths, cycles, and trees. Applications have been found in biology and other areas. In this research, I focus on the interlace polynomial of a special type of Eulerian graph, built from one cycle of size n and n cycle three graphs. I developed explicit formulas by implementing the toggling process to the graph. I further investigate the coefficients and special values of the interlace polynomial. Some of them can describe properties of the considered graph. Aigner and Holst also defined a new interlace polynomial, called the Q-interlace polynomial, recursively, which can tell other properties of the original graph. One immediate application of the Q-interlace polynomial is that a special value of it is the number of general induced subgraphs with an odd number of general perfect matchings. Thus by evaluating the Q-interlace polynomial at a specific value, we determine the number of general induced subrgaphs with an odd number of general perfect matchings of the considered Eulerian graph

Interlace polynomials

AbstractIn a recent paper Arratia, Bollobás and Sorkin discuss a graph polynomial defined recursively, which they call the interlace polynomial q(G,x). They present several interesting results with applications to the Alexander polynomial and state the conjecture that |q(G,−1)| is always a power of 2. In this paper we use a matrix approach to study q(G,x). We derive evaluations of q(G,x) for various x, which are difficult to obtain (if at all) by the defining recursion. Among other results we prove the conjecture for x=−1. A related interlace polynomial Q(G,x) is introduced. Finally, we show how these polynomials arise as the Martin polynomials of a certain isotropic system as introduced by Bouchet