Solution of Vizing's Problem on Interchanges for Graphs with Maximum Degree 4 and Related Results

Let $G$ be a Class 1 graph with maximum degree $4$ and let $t\geq 5$ be an integer. We show that any proper $t$-edge coloring of $G$ can be transformed to any proper $4$-edge coloring of $G$ using only transformations on $2$-colored subgraphs (so-called interchanges). This settles the smallest previously unsolved case of a well-known problem of Vizing on interchanges, posed in 1965. Using our result we give an affirmative answer to a question of Mohar for two classes of graphs: we show that all proper $5$-edge colorings of a Class 1 graph with maximum degree 4 are Kempe equivalent, that is, can be transformed to each other by interchanges, and that all proper 7-edge colorings of a Class 2 graph with maximum degree 5 are Kempe equivalent.