Geometric and spectral analysis on weighted digraphs (Q6199678)

The article provides a geometric description of the in/out Laplacian and adjacency matrix on directed graphs with arbitrary weights. It delves into the properties of these matrices, particularly focusing on their zero eigenvalues and their relationship with the topology of the graph. One of the key contributions of the article is the proof that the multiplicity of the zero eigenvalue of the in/out Laplacian coincides with the number of sources/sinks in the digraph. This insight provides a deeper understanding of the spectral properties of the Laplacian matrix in the context of directed graphs. Furthermore, the article explores the spectrum of the Laplacian matrix for acyclic digraphs with combinatorial weights, demonstrating that it is contained within the set of non-zero integers. This result highlights the structured nature of the Laplacian spectrum in specific graph configurations. The geometric perspective offered in the article allows for the interpretation of circulations in a weighted digraph as coclosed forms on the arcs, linking them to the kernel of the discrete divergence. This connection sheds light on the geometric interpretation of circulation patterns within the graph. Moreover, the article establishes the orthogonality between the set of circulations and the set of discrete gradients of functions on the vertices, providing a clear understanding of their relationship within the graph structure. Overall, the article presents significant insights into the spectral and geometric properties of Laplacian and adjacency matrices in directed graphs with arbitrary weights. It offers valuable contributions to the understanding of graph theory and its applications in various fields.