1,009 research outputs found
Self-avoiding walks and amenability
The connective constant of an infinite transitive graph is the
exponential growth rate of the number of self-avoiding walks from a given
origin. The relationship between connective constants and amenability is
explored in the current work.
Various properties of connective constants depend on the existence of
so-called 'graph height functions', namely: (i) whether is a local
function on certain graphs derived from , (ii) the equality of and
the asymptotic growth rate of bridges, and (iii) whether there exists a
terminating algorithm for approximating to a given degree of accuracy.
In the context of amenable groups, it is proved that the Cayley graphs of
infinite, finitely generated, elementary amenable groups support graph height
functions, which are in addition harmonic. In contrast, the Cayley graph of the
Grigorchuk group, which is amenable but not elementary amenable, does not have
a graph height function.
In the context of non-amenable, transitive graphs, a lower bound is presented
for the connective constant in terms of the spectral bottom of the graph. This
is a strengthening of an earlier result of the same authors. Secondly, using a
percolation inequality of Benjamini, Nachmias, and Peres, it is explained that
the connective constant of a non-amenable, transitive graph with large girth is
close to that of a regular tree. Examples are given of non-amenable groups
without graph height functions, of which one is the Higman group.Comment: v2 differs from v1 in the inclusion of further material concerning
non-amenable graphs, notably an improved lower bound for the connective
constan
European Apportionment via the Cambridge Compromise
Seven mathematicians and one political scientist met at the Cambridge
Apportionment Meeting in January 2011. They agreed a unanimous recommendation
to the European Parliament for its future apportionments between the EU Member
States. This is a short factual account of the reasons that led to the Meeting,
of its debates and report, and of some of the ensuing Parliamentary debate.Comment: Minor changes. Short analysis added in the final sectio
Negative association in uniform forests and connected graphs
We consider three probability measures on subsets of edges of a given finite
graph , namely those which govern, respectively, a uniform forest, a uniform
spanning tree, and a uniform connected subgraph. A conjecture concerning the
negative association of two edges is reviewed for a uniform forest, and a
related conjecture is posed for a uniform connected subgraph. The former
conjecture is verified numerically for all graphs having eight or fewer
vertices, or having nine vertices and no more than eighteen edges, using a
certain computer algorithm which is summarised in this paper. Negative
association is known already to be valid for a uniform spanning tree. The three
cases of uniform forest, uniform spanning tree, and uniform connected subgraph
are special cases of a more general conjecture arising from the random-cluster
model of statistical mechanics.Comment: With minor correction
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