Characterization of the structure of $k$-edge-maximal graphs

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Xia, Zheng-Jiang, Lai, Hong-Jian, Lu, Jian, Hong, Zhen-Mu
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Xia, Zheng-Jiang
Lai, Hong-Jian
Lu, Jian
Hong, Zhen-Mu
author_facet Xia, Zheng-Jiang
Lai, Hong-Jian
Lu, Jian
Hong, Zhen-Mu
contents Let $κ^{\prime}(G)$ be the edge-connectivity of the graph $G$. The \textit{strength} of $G$, denoted by $\overlineκ^{\prime}(G)$, is the maximum edge-connectivity of its subgraphs. A simple graph $G$ is called $k$-\textit{edge-maximal} if $\overlineκ^{\prime}(G) \leq k$ but for any edge $e$ not in $G$, $\overlineκ^{\prime}(G+e) \geq k+1$. In this paper, we propose the concepts of kernel and closure of a graph and discuss the properties of closure. Utilizing these properties, we present the necessary and sufficient condition for a graph to be $k$-edge-maximal, which refines the results in [J. Graph Theory 14 (1990) 187--197], and prove that there exists a $k$-edge-maximal graph of order $n$ with $m$ edges if and only if $m=(n-1)k-\binom{k}{2}r$, for some integer $r$ with $1\leq r\leq \left\lfloor \frac{n}{k+2}\right\rfloor$. Furthermore, we characterize the structure of $k$-edge-maximal graphs with a given number of edges.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2606_00719
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Characterization of the structure of $k$-edge-maximal graphs
Xia, Zheng-Jiang
Lai, Hong-Jian
Lu, Jian
Hong, Zhen-Mu
Combinatorics
05C35, 05C40, 05C75
Let $κ^{\prime}(G)$ be the edge-connectivity of the graph $G$. The \textit{strength} of $G$, denoted by $\overlineκ^{\prime}(G)$, is the maximum edge-connectivity of its subgraphs. A simple graph $G$ is called $k$-\textit{edge-maximal} if $\overlineκ^{\prime}(G) \leq k$ but for any edge $e$ not in $G$, $\overlineκ^{\prime}(G+e) \geq k+1$. In this paper, we propose the concepts of kernel and closure of a graph and discuss the properties of closure. Utilizing these properties, we present the necessary and sufficient condition for a graph to be $k$-edge-maximal, which refines the results in [J. Graph Theory 14 (1990) 187--197], and prove that there exists a $k$-edge-maximal graph of order $n$ with $m$ edges if and only if $m=(n-1)k-\binom{k}{2}r$, for some integer $r$ with $1\leq r\leq \left\lfloor \frac{n}{k+2}\right\rfloor$. Furthermore, we characterize the structure of $k$-edge-maximal graphs with a given number of edges.
title Characterization of the structure of $k$-edge-maximal graphs
topic Combinatorics
05C35, 05C40, 05C75
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.00719