A linear upper bound on the $\mathbb{Z}_p$-Ramsey number of graphs with sufficiently large $2$-packing

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Heath, Emily, Simmons, Andrew
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Heath, Emily
Simmons, Andrew
author_facet Heath, Emily
Simmons, Andrew
contents Given a positive integer $k$ and graph $G$, the $\mathbb{Z}_k$-Ramsey number $R(G,\mathbb{Z}_k)$ is the least $N$ (if it exists) such that every coloring $f:E(K_N)\rightarrow \mathbb{Z}_k$ contains a copy $G'$ of $G$ such that $\sum_{e\in E(G')}f(e)=0$. Motivated by a question of Caro and Mifsud, we study the $\mathbb{Z}_k$-Ramsey number of graphs with a sufficiently large 2-packing, i.e. a set of vertices $S\subseteq V(G)$ such that $N[u]\cap N[v]=\emptyset$ for all distinct $u,v\in S$. In particular, we prove that $R(G,\mathbb{Z}_p)\leq n+6p-9$ for all $n$-vertex graphs $G$ and all primes $p$ such that $p$ divides $e(G)$, the minimum degree of $G$ is at least $1$, and there exists a $2$-packing of $G$ with size $p-1$. This upper bound improves depending on vertex degrees in the $2$-packing, with equality in certain cases. The result also implies an upper bound of the form $R(G,\mathbb{Z}_p)\leq n+C$ for $n$-vertex graphs $G$ of bounded maximum degree.
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_21817
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publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A linear upper bound on the $\mathbb{Z}_p$-Ramsey number of graphs with sufficiently large $2$-packing
Heath, Emily
Simmons, Andrew
Combinatorics
Given a positive integer $k$ and graph $G$, the $\mathbb{Z}_k$-Ramsey number $R(G,\mathbb{Z}_k)$ is the least $N$ (if it exists) such that every coloring $f:E(K_N)\rightarrow \mathbb{Z}_k$ contains a copy $G'$ of $G$ such that $\sum_{e\in E(G')}f(e)=0$. Motivated by a question of Caro and Mifsud, we study the $\mathbb{Z}_k$-Ramsey number of graphs with a sufficiently large 2-packing, i.e. a set of vertices $S\subseteq V(G)$ such that $N[u]\cap N[v]=\emptyset$ for all distinct $u,v\in S$. In particular, we prove that $R(G,\mathbb{Z}_p)\leq n+6p-9$ for all $n$-vertex graphs $G$ and all primes $p$ such that $p$ divides $e(G)$, the minimum degree of $G$ is at least $1$, and there exists a $2$-packing of $G$ with size $p-1$. This upper bound improves depending on vertex degrees in the $2$-packing, with equality in certain cases. The result also implies an upper bound of the form $R(G,\mathbb{Z}_p)\leq n+C$ for $n$-vertex graphs $G$ of bounded maximum degree.
title A linear upper bound on the $\mathbb{Z}_p$-Ramsey number of graphs with sufficiently large $2$-packing
topic Combinatorics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.21817