k --Universal Finite Graphs

This paper investigates the class of k-universal finite graphs, a local analog of the class of universal graphs, which arises naturally in the study of finite variable logics. The main results of the paper, which are due to Shelah, establish that the class of k-universal graphs is not definable by an infinite disjunction of first-order existential sentences with a finite number of variables and that there exist k-universal graphs with no k-extendible induced subgraphs

Universal targets for homomorphisms of edge-colored graphs

A $k$-edge-colored graph is a finite, simple graph with edges labeled by numbers $1,\ldots,k$. A function from the vertex set of one $k$-edge-colored graph to another is a homomorphism if the endpoints of any edge are mapped to two different vertices connected by an edge of the same color. Given a class $\mathcal{F}$ of graphs, a $k$-edge-colored graph $\mathbb{H}$ (not necessarily with the underlying graph in $\mathcal{F}$) is $k$-universal for $\mathcal{F}$ when any $k$-edge-colored graph with the underlying graph in $\mathcal{F}$ admits a homomorphism to $\mathbb{H}$. We characterize graph classes that admit $k$-universal graphs. For such classes, we establish asymptotically almost tight bounds on the size of the smallest universal graph. For a nonempty graph $G$, the density of $G$ is the maximum ratio of the number of edges to the number of vertices ranging over all nonempty subgraphs of $G$. For a nonempty class $\mathcal{F}$ of graphs, $D(\mathcal{F})$ denotes the density of $\mathcal{F}$, that is the supremum of densities of graphs in $\mathcal{F}$. The main results are the following. The class $\mathcal{F}$ admits $k$-universal graphs for $k\geq2$ if and only if there is an absolute constant that bounds the acyclic chromatic number of any graph in $\mathcal{F}$. For any such class, there exists a constant $c$, such that for any $k \geq 2$, the size of the smallest $k$-universal graph is between $k^{D(\mathcal{F})}$ and $ck^{\lceil D(\mathcal{F})\rceil}$. A connection between the acyclic coloring and the existence of universal graphs was first observed by Alon and Marshall (Journal of Algebraic Combinatorics, 8(1):5-13, 1998). One of their results is that for planar graphs, the size of the smallest $k$-universal graph is between $k^3+3$ and $5k^4$. Our results yield that there exists a constant $c$ such that for all $k$, this size is bounded from above by $ck^3$

Big Ramsey degrees in universal inverse limit structures

We build a collection of topological Ramsey spaces of trees giving rise to universal inverse limit structures, extending Zheng's work for the profinite graph to the setting of Fra\"{\i}ss\'{e} classes of finite ordered binary relational structures with the Ramsey property. This work is based on the Halpern-L\"{a}uchli theorem, but different from the Milliken space of strong subtrees. Based on these topological Ramsey spaces and the work of Huber-Geschke-Kojman on inverse limits of finite ordered graphs, we prove that for each such Fra\"{\i}ss\'{e} class, its universal inverse limit structures has finite big Ramsey degrees under finite Baire-measurable colourings. For finite ordered graphs, finite ordered $k$-clique free graphs ($k\geq 3$), finite ordered oriented graphs, and finite ordered tournaments, we characterize the exact big Ramsey degrees.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figure

Infinitesimal deformations of Poisson bi-vectors using the Kontsevich graph calculus

Let $P$ be a Poisson structure on a finite-dimensional affine real manifold. Can $P$ be deformed in such a way that it stays Poisson? The language of Kontsevich graphs provides a universal approach -- with respect to all affine Poisson manifolds -- to finding a class of solutions to this deformation problem. For that reasoning, several types of graphs are needed. In this paper we outline the algorithms to generate those graphs. The graphs that encode deformations are classified by the number of internal vertices $k$; for $k \leqslant 4$ we present all solutions of the deformation problem. For $k \geqslant 5$, first reproducing the pentagon-wheel picture suggested at $k=6$ by Kontsevich and Willwacher, we construct the heptagon-wheel cocycle that yields a new unique solution without $2$-loops and tadpoles at $k=8$.Comment: International conference ISQS'25 on integrable systems and quantum symmetries (6-10 June 2017 in CVUT Prague, Czech Republic). Introductory paragraph I.1 follows p.3 in arXiv:1710.00658 [math.CO]; 13 pages, 3 figures, 2 table

The Patterson-Sullivan embedding and minimal volume entropy for outer space

Motivated by Bonahon's result for hyperbolic surfaces, we construct an analogue of the Patterson-Sullivan-Bowen-Margulis map from the Culler-Vogtmann outer space $CV(F_k)$ into the space of projectivized geodesic currents on a free group. We prove that this map is a topological embedding. We also prove that for every $k\ge 2$ the minimum of the volume entropy of the universal covers of finite connected volume-one metric graphs with fundamental group of rank $k$ and without degree-one vertices is equal to $(3k-3)\log 2$ and that this minimum is realized by trivalent graphs with all edges of equal lengths, and only by such graphs.Comment: An updated versio