English

Strong log-convexity of genus sequences

Combinatorics 2025-12-30 v2

Abstract

For a graph GG, and a nonnegative integer gg, let ag(G)a_g(G) be the number of 22-cell embeddings of GG in an orientable surface of genus gg (counted up to the combinatorial homeomorphism equivalence). In 1989, Gross, Robbins, and Tucker [Genus distributions for bouquets of circles, J. Combin. Theory Ser. B 47 (1989), 292-306] proposed a conjecture that the sequence a0(G),a1(G),a2(G),a_0(G),a_1(G),a_2(G),\dots is log-concave for every graph GG. This conjecture is reminiscent to the Heron-Rota-Welsh Log Concavity Conjecture that was recently resolved in the affirmative by June Huh et al., except that it is closer to the notion of Δ\Delta-matroids than to the usual matroids. In this short paper, we disprove the Log Concavity Conjecture of Gross, Robbins, and Tucker by providing examples that show strong deviation from log-concavity at multiple terms of their genus sequences.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2405.10854,
  title  = {Strong log-convexity of genus sequences},
  author = {Bojan Mohar},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2405.10854},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

Accepted for publication in JCTB (2025)