Uniqueness and minimal obstructions for tree-depth

A k-ranking of a graph G is a labeling of the vertices of G with values from {1,...,k} such that any path joining two vertices with the same label contains a vertex having a higher label. The tree-depth of G is the smallest value of k for which a k-ranking of G exists. The graph G is k-critical if it has tree-depth k and every proper minor of G has smaller tree-depth. We establish partial results in support of two conjectures about the order and maximum degree of k-critical graphs. As part of these results, we define a graph G to be 1-unique if for every vertex v in G, there exists an optimal ranking of G in which v is the unique vertex with label 1. We show that several classes of k-critical graphs are 1-unique, and we conjecture that the property holds for all k-critical graphs. Generalizing a previously known construction for trees, we exhibit an inductive construction that uses 1-unique k-critical graphs to generate large classes of critical graphs having a given tree-depth.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Average mixing matrix of trees

We investigate the rank of the average mixing matrix of trees, with all eigenvalues distinct. The rank of the average mixing matrix of a tree on $n$ vertices with $n$ distinct eigenvalues is upper-bounded by $\frac{n}{2}$. Computations on trees up to $20$ vertices suggest that the rank attains this upper bound most of the times. We give an infinite family of trees whose average mixing matrices have ranks which are bounded away from this upper bound. We also give a lower bound on the rank of the average mixing matrix of a tree.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures, 3 table

Unicyclic graphs and the inertia of the distance squared matrix

A result of Bapat and Sivasubramanian gives the inertia of the distance squared matrix of a tree. We develop general tools on how pendant vertices and degree 2 vertices affect the inertia of the distance squared matrix and use these to give an alternative proof of this result. We further use these tools to extend this result to certain families of unicyclic graphs, and we explore how far these results can be extended

Graphs with few trivial characteristic ideals

We give a characterization of the graphs with at most three trivial characteristic ideals. This implies the complete characterization of the regular graphs whose critical groups have at most three invariant factors equal to 1 and the characterization of the graphs whose Smith groups have at most 3 invariant factors equal to 1. We also give an alternative and simpler way to obtain the characterization of the graphs whose Smith groups have at most 3 invariant factors equal to 1, and a list of minimal forbidden graphs for the family of graphs with Smith group having at most 4 invariant factors equal to 1