Search arXivSearch

arXiv · 1308.4321

On Obstacle Numbers

Abstract

The obstacle number is a new graph parameter introduced by Alpert, Koch, and Laison (2010). Mukkamala etal (2012) show that there exist graphs with n vertices having obstacle number in Omega(n/\log n). In this note, we up this lower bound to Omega(n/(\log\log n)^2. Our proof makes use of an upper bound of Mukkamala etal on the number of graphs having obstacle number at most h in such a way that any subsequent improvements to their upper bound will improve our lower bound.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Vida Dujmović, Pat Morin. 2013-08-20. On Obstacle Numbers. https://arxiv.org/abs/1308.4321

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Adjunctions, Box Products, and Forcing Families

Sidorenko's conjecture states that the number of copies of any given bipartite graph in another graph of given density is asymptotically minimized by a random graph. For bipartite graphs containing a cycle, the forcing conjecture further asserts that asymptotic equality characterizes quasi-random graphs. We establish an adjoint identity for a general class of graph-substitution operators and use it to obtain Sidorenko and forcing results for balanced blow-ups, subdivisions, Cartesian products, and strong products.

math.CO

On the Cost Number of Graphs with Determining Number Two

A distinguishing vertex coloring of a graph $G$ is a vertex coloring such that only the identity automorphism of $G$ preserves the coloring. A graph is $2$-distinguishable if it admits a distinguishing vertex coloring with two colors, and its cost $ρ(G)$ is the minimum size of a color class in such a coloring. The determining number of a graph $G$, denoted by $Det(G)$, is the minimum size of a subset $S\subseteq V(G)$ such that only the trivial automorphism fixes every element of $S$ pointwise. Boutin (J. Combin. Math. Combin. Comput. 85: 161-171, 2013) asked if $ρ(G)$ and $Det(G)$ can be arbitrarily far apart. While the case for $Det(G) = 1$ is trivial, the answer remained unknown for $Det(G) \ge 2$. In this manuscript, we show that if $Det(G)=2$ then not only is $ρ(G)$ bounded, but in fact $ρ(G) \leq 4$. This is the first resolution of Boutin's question for any nontrivial fixed determining number. Moreover, for every fixed $Det(G)= n$, we construct examples giving a lower bound on any possible upper bound for $ρ(G)$ in terms of $n$.

math.CO