The $Δ$-Conjecture for CIS $d$-Graphs

Abstract

We prove the $Δ$-conjecture, which dates back to Gurvich's 1978 thesis. Specifically, let the edges of a complete graph be colored with colors $1,\ldots,d$, and for each $i$ let $G_i$ be the graph on the same vertex set formed by the edges of color $i$. We prove that if every choice of a maximal stable set $S_i$ of $G_i$, one for each $i\in[d]$, has nonempty intersection, then the coloring contains no rainbow triangle. Together with a result of Andrade, Boros, and Gurvich, this characterizes CIS $d$-graphs as precisely the Gallai $d$-graphs whose chromatic components are ordinary CIS graphs. We also show that every factor in the canonical modular decomposition of a CIS $d$-graph is a CIS $d$-graph whose edge-coloring uses at most two colors.