The Lusternik-Schnirelmann theorem for graphs

arXiv1211.0750MaRDI QIDQ6236897FDOQ6236897

Publication date: 4 November 2012

Abstract: We prove the discrete Lusternik-Schnirelmann theorem telling that tcat(G) less or equal to crit(G) for a general simple graph G=(V,E). It relates the minimal number tcat(G) of in G contractible graphs covering G, with crit(G), the minimal number of critical points which an injective function f on the vertex set V can have. We also prove that the cup length cup(G) is less or equal to tcat(G) which is valid also for any finite simple graph. If cat(G) is the minimal tcat(H) among all graphs H homotopic to G and cri(G) is the minimal crit(H) among all graphs H homotopic to G, we get a relation between three homotopy invariants: an algebraic quantity (cup), a topological quantity (cat) and an analytic quantity (cri).

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Planar graphs; geometric and topological aspects of graph theory (05C10) Structural characterization of families of graphs (05C75) Abstract critical point theory (Morse theory, Lyusternik-Shnirel'man theory, etc.) in infinite-dimensional spaces (58E05) Relations of low-dimensional topology with graph theory (57M15) Lyusternik-Shnirel'man category of a space, topological complexity à la Farber, topological robotics (topological aspects) (55M30) Simple homotopy type, Whitehead torsion, Reidemeister-Franz torsion, etc. (57Q10)

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