Convex drawings of the complete graph: topology meets geometry

Planar graphs; geometric and topological aspects of graph theory (05C10) Graph representations (geometric and intersection representations, etc.) (05C62)

Abstract: In this work, we introduce and develop a theory of convex drawings of the complete graph

K_{n}

in the sphere. A drawing

D

of

K_{n}

is convex if, for every 3-cycle

T

of

K_{n}

, there is a closed disc

D e l t a_{T}

bounded by

D [T]

such that, for any two vertices

u, v

with

D [u]

and

D [v]

both in

D e l t a_{T}

, the entire edge

D [u v]

is also contained in

D e l t a_{T}

. As one application of this perspective, we consider drawings containing a non-convex

K_{5}

that has restrictions on its extensions to drawings of

K_{7}

. For each such drawing, we use convexity to produce a new drawing with fewer crossings. This is the first example of local considerations providing sufficient conditions for suboptimality. In particular, we do not compare the number of crossings {with the number of crossings in} any known drawings. This result sheds light on Aichholzer's computer proof (personal communication) showing that, for

n l e 12

, every optimal drawing of

K_{n}

is convex. Convex drawings are characterized by excluding two of the five drawings of

K_{5}

. Two refinements of convex drawings are h-convex and f-convex drawings. The latter have been shown by Aichholzer et al (Deciding monotonicity of good drawings of the complete graph, Proc.~XVI Spanish Meeting on Computational Geometry (EGC 2015), 2015) and, independently, the authors of the current article (Levi's Lemma, pseudolinear drawings of

K_{n}

, and empty triangles, br{J. Graph Theory DOI: 10.1002/jgt.22167)}, to be equivalent to pseudolinear drawings. Also, h-convex drawings are equivalent to pseudospherical drawings as demonstrated recently by Arroyo et al (Extending drawings of complete graphs into arrangements of pseudocircles, submitted).

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