Convex drawings of the complete graph: topology meets geometry

In this work, we introduce and develop a theory of convex drawings of the complete graph $K_n$ in the sphere. A drawing $D$ of $K_n$ is convex if, for every 3-cycle $T$ of $K_n$, there is a closed disc $\Delta_T$ bounded by $D[T]$ such that, for any two vertices $u,v$ with $D[u]$ and $D[v]$ both in $\Delta_T$, the entire edge $D[uv]$ is also contained in $\Delta_T$. As one application of this perspective, we consider drawings containing a non-convex $K_5$ that has restrictions on its extensions to drawings of $K_7$. For each such drawing, we use convexity to produce a new drawing with fewer crossings. This is the first example of local considerations providing sufficient conditions for suboptimality. In particular, we do not compare the number of crossings {with the number of crossings in} any known drawings. This result sheds light on Aichholzer's computer proof (personal communication) showing that, for $n\le 12$, every optimal drawing of $K_n$ is convex. Convex drawings are characterized by excluding two of the five drawings of $K_5$. Two refinements of convex drawings are h-convex and f-convex drawings. The latter have been shown by Aichholzer et al (Deciding monotonicity of good drawings of the complete graph, Proc.~XVI Spanish Meeting on Computational Geometry (EGC 2015), 2015) and, independently, the authors of the current article (Levi's Lemma, pseudolinear drawings of $K_n$, and empty triangles, \rbr{J. Graph Theory DOI: 10.1002/jgt.22167)}, to be equivalent to pseudolinear drawings. Also, h-convex drawings are equivalent to pseudospherical drawings as demonstrated recently by Arroyo et al (Extending drawings of complete graphs into arrangements of pseudocircles, submitted)

Characterizing 2-crossing-critical graphs

It is very well-known that there are precisely two minimal non-planar graphs: $K_5$ and $K_{3,3}$ (degree 2 vertices being irrelevant in this context). In the language of crossing numbers, these are the only 1-crossing-critical graphs: they each have crossing number at least one, and every proper subgraph has crossing number less than one. In 1987, Kochol exhibited an infinite family of 3-connected, simple 2-crossing-critical graphs. In this work, we: (i) determine all the 3-connected 2-crossing-critical graphs that contain a subdivision of the M\"obius Ladder $V_{10}$; (ii) show how to obtain all the not 3-connected 2-crossing-critical graphs from the 3-connected ones; (iii) show that there are only finitely many 3-connected 2-crossing-critical graphs not containing a subdivision of $V_{10}$; and (iv) determine all the 3-connected 2-crossing-critical graphs that do not contain a subdivision of $V_{8}$.Comment: 176 pages, 28 figure

On the crossing numbers of certain generalized Petersen graphs

AbstractIn his paper on the crossing numbers of generalized Peterson graphs, Fiorini proves that P(8,3) has crossing number 4 and claims at the end that P(10, 3) also has crossing number 4. In this article, we give a short proof of the first claim and show that the second claim is false. The techniques are interesting in that they focus on disjoint cycles, which must cross each other an even number of times