Fractional matching preclusion numbers of Cartesian product graphs (Q6110597)

The Cartesian product of graphs \(G\) and \(H\) is a graph \(G\Box H\) with \(V(G\Box H)=V(G)\times V(H)\). Two vertices \((g,h)\) and \((g',h')\) are adjacent in \(G\Box H\) if \(g=g'\) and \(hh'\in E(H)\) or \(gg'\in E(G)\) and \(h=h'\). A function \(f:E(G)\rightarrow[0,1]\) is a fractional matching if for every vertex \(v\) the sum over all values of \(f(e)\) for all edges incident with \(v\) is at least one, that is: \(\sum_{e\sim v}f(e)\geq 1\) for every \(v\in V(G)\). The fractional matching of \(G\) is a fractional perfect matching of \(G\) if \(\sum_{e\sim v}f(e)=1\) for every \(v\in V(G)\). A set \(F\subset E(G)\) is a fractional matching preclusion set if \(G-F\) has no fractional perfect matching. Finally, the fractional matching preclusion number \(\operatorname{fmp}(G)\) of \(G\) is the minimum cardinality of a fractional matching preclusion number. This contribution contains exact results of \(\operatorname{fmp}(G\Box H)\) when \(G\) is an arbitrary graph and \(H\) is either a path \(P_{2k}\) or a cycle \(C_k\) with respect to the minimum degree of \(G\).