Spanning trees in $\mathbb{Z}$-covers of a finite graph and Mahler measures

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Pengo, Riccardo, Vallières, Daniel
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Pengo, Riccardo
Vallières, Daniel
author_facet Pengo, Riccardo
Vallières, Daniel
contents Using the special value at $u=1$ of Artin-Ihara $L$-functions, we associate to every $\mathbb{Z}$-cover of a finite connected graph a polynomial which we call the \emph{Ihara polynomial}. We show that the number of spanning trees for the finite intermediate graphs of such a cover can be expressed in terms of the Pierce-Lehmer sequence associated to a factor of the Ihara polynomial. This allows us to express the asymptotic growth of the number of spanning trees in terms of the Mahler measure of this polynomial. Specializing to the situation where the base graph is a bouquet or the dumbbell graph gives us back previous results in the literature for circulant and $I$-graphs (including the generalized Petersen graphs). We also express the $p$-adic valuation of the number of spanning trees of the finite intermediate graphs in terms of the $p$-adic Mahler measure of the Ihara polynomial. When applied to a particular $\mathbb{Z}$-cover, our result gives us back Lengyel's calculation of the $p$-adic valuations of Fibonacci numbers.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2310_15619
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Spanning trees in $\mathbb{Z}$-covers of a finite graph and Mahler measures
Pengo, Riccardo
Vallières, Daniel
Number Theory
Combinatorics
05C25, 11B83, 11R06
Using the special value at $u=1$ of Artin-Ihara $L$-functions, we associate to every $\mathbb{Z}$-cover of a finite connected graph a polynomial which we call the \emph{Ihara polynomial}. We show that the number of spanning trees for the finite intermediate graphs of such a cover can be expressed in terms of the Pierce-Lehmer sequence associated to a factor of the Ihara polynomial. This allows us to express the asymptotic growth of the number of spanning trees in terms of the Mahler measure of this polynomial. Specializing to the situation where the base graph is a bouquet or the dumbbell graph gives us back previous results in the literature for circulant and $I$-graphs (including the generalized Petersen graphs). We also express the $p$-adic valuation of the number of spanning trees of the finite intermediate graphs in terms of the $p$-adic Mahler measure of the Ihara polynomial. When applied to a particular $\mathbb{Z}$-cover, our result gives us back Lengyel's calculation of the $p$-adic valuations of Fibonacci numbers.
title Spanning trees in $\mathbb{Z}$-covers of a finite graph and Mahler measures
topic Number Theory
Combinatorics
05C25, 11B83, 11R06
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.15619