A Sum of Squares Characterization of Perfect Graphs

We present an algebraic characterization of perfect graphs, i.e., graphs for which the clique number and the chromatic number coincide for every induced subgraph. We show that a graph is perfect if and only if certain nonnegative polynomials associated with the graph are sums of squares. As a byproduct, we obtain several infinite families of nonnegative polynomials that are not sums of squares through graph-theoretic constructions. We also characterize graphs for which the associated polynomials belong to certain structured subsets of sum of squares polynomials. Finally, we reformulate some well-known results from the theory of perfect graphs as statements about sum of squares proofs of nonnegativity of certain polynomials

Interlacing Families IV: Bipartite Ramanujan Graphs of All Sizes

We prove that there exist bipartite Ramanujan graphs of every degree and every number of vertices. The proof is based on analyzing the expected characteristic polynomial of a union of random perfect matchings, and involves three ingredients: (1) a formula for the expected characteristic polynomial of the sum of a regular graph with a random permutation of another regular graph, (2) a proof that this expected polynomial is real rooted and that the family of polynomials considered in this sum is an interlacing family, and (3) strong bounds on the roots of the expected characteristic polynomial of a union of random perfect matchings, established using the framework of finite free convolutions we recently introduced

On (Subgame Perfect) Secure Equilibrium in Quantitative Reachability Games

We study turn-based quantitative multiplayer non zero-sum games played on finite graphs with reachability objectives. In such games, each player aims at reaching his own goal set of states as soon as possible. A previous work on this model showed that Nash equilibria (resp. secure equilibria) are guaranteed to exist in the multiplayer (resp. two-player) case. The existence of secure equilibria in the multiplayer case remained and is still an open problem. In this paper, we focus our study on the concept of subgame perfect equilibrium, a refinement of Nash equilibrium well-suited in the framework of games played on graphs. We also introduce the new concept of subgame perfect secure equilibrium. We prove the existence of subgame perfect equilibria (resp. subgame perfect secure equilibria) in multiplayer (resp. two-player) quantitative reachability games. Moreover, we provide an algorithm deciding the existence of secure equilibria in the multiplayer case.Comment: 32 pages. Full version of the FoSSaCS 2012 proceedings pape

Graphical condensation of plane graphs: a combinatorial approach

The method of graphical vertex-condensation for enumerating perfect matchings of plane bipartite graph was found by Propp (Theoret. Comput. Sci. 303(2003), 267-301), and was generalized by Kuo (Theoret. Comput. Sci. 319 (2004), 29-57) and Yan and Zhang (J. Combin. Theory Ser. A, 110(2005), 113-125). In this paper, by a purely combinatorial method some explicit identities on graphical vertex-condensation for enumerating perfect matchings of plane graphs (which do not need to be bipartite) are obtained. As applications of our results, some results on graphical edge-condensation for enumerating perfect matchings are proved, and we count the sum of weights of perfect matchings of weighted Aztec diamond.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. accepted by Theoretial Computer Scienc

On subgroup perfect codes in Cayley sum graphs

A perfect code $C$ in a graph $\Gamma$ is an independent set of vertices of $\Gamma$ such that every vertex outside of $C$ is adjacent to a unique vertex in $C$, and a total perfect code $C$ in $\Gamma$ is a set of vertices of $\Gamma$ such that every vertex of $\Gamma$ is adjacent to a unique vertex in $C$. Let $G$ be a finite group and $X$ a normal subset of $G$. The Cayley sum graph $\mathrm{CS}(G,X)$ of $G$ with the connection set $X$ is the graph with vertex set $G$ and two vertices $g$ and $h$ being adjacent if and only if $gh\in X$ and $g\neq h$. In this paper, we give some necessary conditions of a subgroup of a given group being a (total) perfect code in a Cayley sum graph of the group. As applications, the Cayley sum graphs of some families of groups which admit a subgroup as a (total) perfect code are classified

Perfect state transfer in cubelike graphs

Suppose $C$ is a subset of non-zero vectors from the vector space $\mathbb{Z}_2^d$. The cubelike graph $X(C)$ has $\mathbb{Z}_2^d$ as its vertex set, and two elements of $\mathbb{Z}_2^d$ are adjacent if their difference is in $C$. If $M$ is the $d\times |C|$ matrix with the elements of $C$ as its columns, we call the row space of $M$ the code of $X$. We use this code to study perfect state transfer on cubelike graphs. Bernasconi et al have shown that perfect state transfer occurs on $X(C)$ at time $\pi/2$ if and only if the sum of the elements of $C$ is not zero. Here we consider what happens when this sum is zero. We prove that if perfect state transfer occurs on a cubelike graph, then it must take place at time $\tau=\pi/2D$, where $D$ is the greatest common divisor of the weights of the code words. We show that perfect state transfer occurs at time $\pi/4$ if and only if D=2 and the code is self-orthogonal.Comment: 10 pages, minor revision