English

Graph complexity and Mahler measure

Combinatorics 2017-01-24 v1 Geometric Topology

Abstract

The (torsion) complexity of a finite edge-weighted graph is defined to be the order of the torsion subgroup of the abelian group presented by its Laplacian matrix. When G is d-periodic (i.e., G has a free action of the rank-d free abelian group by graph automorphisms, with finite quotient) the Mahler measure of its Laplacian determinant polynomial is the growth rate of the complexity of finite quotients of G. Lehmer's question, an open question about the roots of monic integral polynomials, is equivalent to a question about the complexity growth of edge-weighted 1-periodic graphs.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1701.06097,
  title  = {Graph complexity and Mahler measure},
  author = {Daniel S. Silver and Susan G. Williams},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1701.06097},
  year   = {2017}
}

Comments

Supersedes "Spanning trees and Mahler measure," arXiv:1602.02797. 16 pages, 5 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-22T17:56:12.295Z