English

Linear recurrences for non-log-concave independence polynomials of trees

Combinatorics 2026-03-17 v1

Abstract

We identify a structural pattern in the construction of known infinite families of trees whose independence polynomials are not log-concave. Using this pattern and properties of polynomial ring ideals, we derive linear recurrences for these polynomials. As a consequence, we prove that the set of non-isolated limit points of their zeros lies on the circle z+1/3=1/3|z+1/3|=1/3 in the complex plane. Building on these recurrences, we also exhibit infinite families of trees whose independence polynomials break log-concavity at one, two, and three consecutive indices, as well as finite families that break log-concavity at four and five consecutive indices. Our approach suggests that arbitrarily many consecutive breaks may be achievable, offering further insight into a question posed by Galvin [D. Galvin, Trees with non log-concave independent set sequences, arXiv:2502.10654v1, 2025].

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2603.14204,
  title  = {Linear recurrences for non-log-concave independence polynomials of trees},
  author = {César Bautista-Ramos and Carlos Guillén-Galván and Paulino Gómez-Salgado},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.14204},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

13 pages, 4 figures