\(k\)-factors containing and avoiding specified sets of edges (Q2469296)

The authors generalize a result of \textit{R. E. L. Aldred, D. Holton} and \textit{J. Sheehan} on the existence of a 2-factor in an \(r\)-regular \(r\)-edge connected graph satisfying some conditions [J. Graph Theory 49, 48--58 (2005; Zbl 1062.05117)]. Let \(r\), \(k\) be integers with \(k\geq 1\) and \(r \geq 2k\), and let \(G_0\) be an \(r\)-regular \(r\)-edge connected graph with \(k|V (G_0 )|\) even. Let \(A, B\) be subsets of \(E(G_0 )\) with \(A \cap B =\phi\) such that \(|A|\) and \(|B|\) satisfy one of the following three conditions. {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[(a)]\(k/2 < |A|\leq k\) and \(|A| + |B|\leq k\); \item[(b)]\(1\leq |A|\leq k/2\) and \(|A| + |B|\leq \lceil r/2\rceil \); or \item[(c)]\(|A| = 0\) and \(|B|\leq r - k\). \end{itemize}} Under these assumptions, it is shown that \(G_0\) has a \(k\)-factor \(F\) with \(E(F )\supset A\) and \(E(F )\cap B = \phi\), unless \((G_0 ; A, B)\) belongs to an exceptional family of triples.