English

Graph product structure for non-minor-closed classes

Combinatorics 2022-11-22 v5 Discrete Mathematics

Abstract

Dujmovi\'c et al. [\emph{J.~ACM}~'20] recently proved that every planar graph is isomorphic to a subgraph of the strong product of a bounded treewidth graph and a path. Analogous results were obtained for graphs of bounded Euler genus or apex-minor-free graphs. These tools have been used to solve longstanding problems on queue layouts, non-repetitive colouring, pp-centered colouring, and adjacency labelling. This paper proves analogous product structure theorems for various non-minor-closed classes. One noteable example is kk-planar graphs (those with a drawing in the plane in which each edge is involved in at most kk crossings). We prove that every kk-planar graph is isomorphic to a subgraph of the strong product of a graph of treewidth O(k5)O(k^5) and a path. This is the first result of this type for a non-minor-closed class of graphs. It implies, amongst other results, that kk-planar graphs have non-repetitive chromatic number upper-bounded by a function of kk. All these results generalise for drawings of graphs on arbitrary surfaces. In fact, we work in a more general setting based on so-called shortcut systems, which are of independent interest. This leads to analogous results for certain types of map graphs, string graphs, graph powers, and nearest neighbour graphs.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1907.05168,
  title  = {Graph product structure for non-minor-closed classes},
  author = {Vida Dujmović and Pat Morin and David R. Wood},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1907.05168},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

v2 Cosmetic improvements and a corrected bound for (layered-)(tree)width in Theorems 2, 9, 11, and Corollaries 1, 3, 4, 6, 12. v3 Complete restructure. v4 Major revision, improved constants for 1-planar and d-map graphs. v5 Clarifications and corrections suggested by referee

R2 v1 2026-06-23T10:18:24.567Z