Chromatic properties of the Euclidean plane

arXiv1509.03667MaRDI QIDQ6265397FDOQ6265397

Authors: James D. Currie, Roger B. Eggleton 

Publication date: 11 September 2015

Abstract: Let $G$ be the unit distance graph in the plane. A well-known problem in combinatorial geometry is that of determining the chromatic number of $G$. It is known that $4lechi(G)le7$. The upper bound of 7 is obtained using tilings of the plane. The present paper studies two problems where we seek proper colourings of $G$, adding restrictions inspired by tilings: Let $H(epsilon)$ be the graph whose vertices are the points of ${mathbbR}^2$, with an edge between two points if their distance lies in the interval $[1,1+epsilon]$. We show that for small $epsilon$, $0<epsilonlefrac3sqrt24-1$, we have $6lechi(H(epsilon))le7$. This improves the result of Exoo and Grytczuk et al. that $5lechi(H(epsilon))$ for small $epsilon$. Suppose that $G$ is properly coloured, but so that two solidly coloured regions meet along a straight line in some neighbourhood. Then at least 5 colours must be used.

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