Minimal 4-colored graphs representing an infinite family of hyperbolic 3-manifolds (Q1671979)

Let \(G\) be a 4-clored (properly 4-edge-colored 4-regular) graph. For \(0\leq k\leq 3\), a {\em \(k\)-residue} of \(G\) is a connected component of a subgraph of \(G\) induced by \(k\) color classes. Let \(r_k(G)\) be the number of \(k\)-residues of \(G\). So, a 2-residue is an alternately bicolor polygon. If each 2-residue spans a 2-disk then one gets a 2-dimensional complex \(K(G)\). If \(H\) is a 3-residue of \(G\), then the induced complex \(K(H) :=K(G)[H]\) is a closed surface. If \(r_0(G) + r_3(G) = r_2(G)\) (such a graph \(G\) is called a {\em \(3\)-gem}) then the surface corresponding to each 3-residue of \(G\) is a 2-sphere. By adding a 3-cell to \(K(G)\), for each 3-residue of a 3-gem \(G\), one gets a 3-dimensional ball complex \(B(G)\). This construction is a dual to crystallization of PL-manifolds (in dimension 3). \textit{S. Lins} and \textit{A. Mandel} [Discrete Math. 57, 261--284 (1985; Zbl 0585.57009)] proved the following: (i) If \(G\) is a 3-gem then \(|B(G)|\) is a closed 3-manifold. (ii) For any closed 3-manifold \(M\), there exists a 3-gem \(G\) such that \(M\) and \(|B(G)|\) are homeomorphic. \textit{P. Cristofori} and \textit{M. Mulazzani} [Rev. R. Acad. Cienc. Exactas Fís. Nat., Ser. A Mat., RACSAM 110, No. 2, 395--416 (2016; Zbl 1364.57011)] extended the above representation for compact 3-manifolds with boundaries. They have shown that a compact 3-manifold without spherical boundary components has a representation by a 4-colored graph. The graph complexity of a compact 3-manifold \(M\) is the number of vertices in a minimal graph representing \(M\). Since 4-colored graphs have even order, the graph complexity of a compact 3-manifold is even. Using the classifications of crystallizations of orientable 3-manifolds with up to 32 tetrahedra (see \textit{M. R. Casali} and \textit{P. Cristofori} [Forum Math. 27, No. 6, 3173--3188 (2015; Zbl 1339.57018)]) and non-orientable 3-manifolds with up to 30 tetrahedra (see \textit{P. Bandieri} et al. [J. Knot Theory Ramifications 18, No. 3, 381--395 (2009; Zbl 1177.57021)] one finds all the closed orientable 3-manifolds up to graph complexity 32 and all the closed non-orientable 3-manifolds up to graph complexity 30. Cristofori and Mulazzani [loc. cit.] classified all the compact orientable 3-manifolds without spherical boundary components up to graph complexity 8 and all the compact non-orientable 3-manifolds without spherical boundary components up to graph complexity 6. \textit{P. Cristofori} et al. [Result. Math. 72, No. 1--2, 471--490 (2017; Zbl 1376.57006)] classified all the compact orientable 3-manifolds without spherical boundary components up to graph complexity 12. In the paper under review, the authors extend these classifications and classify all compact orientable 3-manifolds without spherical boundary components and graph complexity 14. They also present an infinite family of orientable compact 3-manifolds without spherical boundary components with exact values of graph complexities.