Canonical Decompositions of 3-Connected Graphs

Core Concepts

Every 3-connected graph can be uniquely decomposed into parts that are either quasi 4-connected, wheels, or thickened K3,m's.

Abstract

The paper introduces a new structural basis for the theory of 3-connected graphs, providing a unique decomposition of every such graph. The key aspects are: Relaxing the notion of 4-connectivity to quasi 4-connectivity, where every 3-separation has a side of size at most 4. Introducing the new concept of a tri-separation, which uses both vertices and edges to separate the graph. Showing that every 3-connected graph can be uniquely decomposed into parts that are either quasi 4-connected, wheels, or thickened K3,m's, by cutting along the totally-nested nontrivial tri-separations. The authors prove several structural results about tri-separations, including a classification of 3-connected graphs without any totally-nested nontrivial tri-separations. They also provide applications of their decomposition, such as a new characterization of Cayley graphs and an automatic proof of Tutte's wheel theorem.

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Canonical decompositions of 3-connected graphs

by Johannes Car... at arxiv.org 04-11-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2304.00945.pdf

Deeper Inquiries

Can the ideas and techniques developed in this paper be extended to decompose graphs along separators of larger size, beyond tri-separations

The ideas and techniques developed in the paper can potentially be extended to decompose graphs along separators of larger sizes beyond tri-separations. By analyzing the structure and properties of tri-separations, one could potentially generalize the concept to handle separators of higher orders, such as 4-separations or even higher. This extension would require a deeper understanding of the connectivity properties and relationships between vertices and edges in the graph. Additionally, adapting the corner diagram approach and the concept of links and corners to larger separators could provide a framework for decomposing graphs along larger separators effectively.

What are the implications of the canonical and explicit nature of the tri-separation decomposition for problems in parallel computing and topological graph theory

The canonical and explicit nature of the tri-separation decomposition has significant implications for problems in parallel computing and topological graph theory. In parallel computing, the canonical nature of the decomposition allows for a systematic and consistent way to split the workload among parallel processes. The explicit description of the decomposition provides a clear roadmap for implementing parallel algorithms that leverage the structure of 3-connected graphs. This can lead to efficient parallel algorithms for tasks such as graph analysis, connectivity augmentation, and decomposition. In topological graph theory, the canonical and explicit nature of the tri-separation decomposition offers a solid foundation for studying the structural properties of 3-connected graphs. The decomposition provides a unique and standardized way to analyze the connectivity and separability of graphs, leading to insights into their topological properties. This can be particularly useful in studying graph embeddings, surface embeddings, and other topological aspects of graphs.

How does the tri-separation decomposition relate to and compare with other known decompositions of 3-connected graphs, such as the one due to Grohe

The tri-separation decomposition presented in the paper offers a unique perspective on decomposing 3-connected graphs compared to other known decompositions, such as the one due to Grohe. While Grohe's decomposition focuses on tree-like structures and torsos, the tri-separation decomposition delves into the concept of nested and crossed separations, leading to a more detailed understanding of the connectivity patterns within 3-connected graphs. The tri-separation decomposition provides a systematic way to analyze the interplay between different separators and their impact on the overall structure of the graph. This approach offers a more nuanced view of the graph's connectivity and separability, leading to a finer-grained decomposition that captures the intricate relationships between vertices and edges in the graph. Overall, the tri-separation decomposition complements existing decompositions by offering a canonical and explicit framework for understanding the structural properties of 3-connected graphs, with potential applications in various areas of graph theory and algorithm design.