Uniqueness of currents in infinite resistive networks (Q1814096)

This paper is concerned with the solutions for the current-voltage equations in infinite networks. It is known that the usual `elemental' equations and Kirchhoff's equations are not enough to ensure a unique current distribution in an infinite network \(\Gamma\). One therefore introduces the notion of currents having finite energy. A current \(I\) is represented by a 1-chain, a formal infinite linear combination with real coefficients, of directed edges of the network. It is said to vanish at infinity if the coefficient tends to zero as the edge tends to infinity. An automorphism \(\varphi\) of \(\Gamma=(V,E)\) is said to be bounded if \(\sup_ x d(x,\varphi(x))<\infty\). Also \(x\) is a periodic point of \(\varphi\) if \(\varphi^ n(x)=x\) for some integer \(n\geq 1\). The authors prove: If \(\Gamma\) is a locally finite, infinite connected network with a 1-ohm resistance assigned to each edge and \(\Gamma\) has a bounded automorphism with no periodic points, then any current \(I\) satisfying the homogeneous Kirchhoff equations and vanishing at infinity is identically zero. They derive the same conclusion when \(\Gamma\) is the cartesian product of infinite connected regular graphs \(\Gamma_ i\), \(1\leq i\leq n\). Vertex transitive networks with polynomial growth fall in the first category and cartesian products of \(n\geq 2\) homogeneous trees of degree \(q\) fall in the latter. On the other hand they prove that if network \(\Gamma\) satisfies a strong `isoperimetric inequality' and has finite supremum degree and has at least two `ends', then the homogeneous Kirchhoff equations have a non-zero solution with finite energy. Vertex transitive, connected, locally finite networks with infinitely many ends fall in the above category. Finally, the results have been extended to the case of non-constant resistances.