Related papers: The First Order Definability of Graphs with Separa…

We say that a first order formula A distinguishes a graph G from another graph G' if A is true on G and false on G'. Provided G and G' are non-isomorphic, let D(G,G') denote the minimal quantifier rank of a such formula. We prove that, if G…

Let D(G) be the smallest quantifier depth of a first order formula which is true for a graph G but false for any other non-isomorphic graph. This can be viewed as a measure for the first order descriptive complexity of G. We will show that…

It is not hard to write a first order formula which is true for a given graph G but is false for any graph not isomorphic to G. The smallest number $(G) of nested quantifiers in a such formula can serve as a measure for the ``first order…

Let $D(G)$ be the minimum quantifier depth of a first order sentence $\Phi$ that defines a graph $G$ up to isomorphism. Let $D_0(G)$ be the version of $D(G)$ where we do not allow quantifier alternations in $\Phi$. Define $q_0(n)$ to be the…

We say that a first order sentence A defines a graph G if A is true on G but false on any graph non-isomorphic to G. Let L(G) (resp. D(G)) denote the minimum length (resp. quantifier rank) of a such sentence. We define the succinctness…

We deal with first-order definability in the embeddability ordering $( \mathcal{D}; \leq)$ of finite directed graphs. A directed graph $G\in \mathcal{D}$ is said to be embeddable into $G' \in \mathcal{D}$ if there exists an injective graph…

A Hamiltonian graph $G$ of order $n$ is $k$-ordered, $2\leq k \leq n$, if for every sequence $v_1, v_2, \ldots ,v_k$ of $k$ distinct vertices of $G$, there exists a Hamiltonian cycle that encounters $v_1, v_2, \ldots , v_k$ in this order.…

We study property testing of properties that are definable in first-order logic (FO) in the bounded-degree graph and relational structure models. We show that any FO property that is defined by a formula with quantifier prefix…

Let $F$ be a connected graph with $\ell$ vertices. The existence of a subgraph isomorphic to $F$ can be defined in first-order logic with quantifier depth no better than $\ell$, simply because no first-order formula of smaller quantifier…

We use model-theoretic tools originating from stability theory to derive a result we call the Finitary Substitute Lemma, which intuitively says the following. Suppose we work in a stable graph class C, and using a first-order formula {\phi}…

For any graph $G$, the First-Fit (or Grundy) chromatic number of $G$, denoted by $\chi_{_{\sf FF}}(G)$, is defined as the maximum number of colors used by the First-Fit (greedy) coloring of the vertices of $G$. We call a family…

We study the problem of distinguishing between two independent samples $\mathbf{G}_n^1,\mathbf{G}_n^2$ of a binomial random graph $G(n,p)$ by first order (FO) sentences. Shelah and Spencer proved that, for a constant $\alpha\in(0,1)$,…

Given a graph $F$, let $I(F)$ be the class of graphs containing $F$ as an induced subgraph. Let $W[F]$ denote the minimum $k$ such that $I(F)$ is definable in $k$-variable first-order logic. The recognition problem of $I(F)$, known as…

The classical zero-one law for first-order logic on random graphs says that for any first-order sentence $\phi$ in the theory of graphs, as n approaches infinity, the probability that the random graph G(n, p) satisfies $\phi$ approaches…

Let $G$ be a simple graph. A dissociation set of $G$ is defined as a set of vertices that induces a subgraph in which every vertex has a degree of at most 1. A dissociation set is maximal if it is not contained as a proper subset in any…

Traditionally, graph algorithms get a single graph as input, and then they should decide if this graph satisfies a certain property $\Phi$. What happens if this question is modified in a way that we get a possibly infinite family of graphs…

We show that on graphs with n vertices, the 2-dimensional Weisfeiler-Leman algorithm requires at most O(n^2/log(n)) iterations to reach stabilization. This in particular shows that the previously best, trivial upper bound of O(n^2) is…

The first-order (FO) model checking problem asks, given an FO sentence $\phi$ and a graph $G$, whether $G$ is a model of $\phi$. This problem is known to be $\mathsf{AW[*]}$-hard when parameterized by the quantifier rank of the formula. A…

Given $k\ge 1$, a $k$-proper partition of a graph $G$ is a partition ${\mathcal P}$ of $V(G)$ such that each part $P$ of ${\mathcal P}$ induces a $k$-connected subgraph of $G$. We prove that if $G$ is a graph of order $n$ such that…

A graph G is distinguished if its vertices are labelled by a map \phi: V(G) \longrightarrow {1,2,...,k} so that no graph automorphism preserves \phi. The distinguishing number of G is the minimum number k necessary for \phi to distinguish…