Linear Operators That Preserve Two Genera of a Graph

Abstract

If a graph can be embedded in a smooth orientable surface of genus g without edge crossings and can not be embedded on one of genus g − 1 without edge crossings, then we say that the graph has genus g. We consider a mapping on the set of graphs with m vertices into itself. The mapping is called a linear operator if it preserves a union of graphs and it also preserves the empty graph. On the set of graphs with m vertices, we consider and investigate those linear operators which map graphs of genus g to graphs of genus g and graphs of genus g + j to graphs of genus g + j for j ≤ g and m sufficiently large. We show that such linear operators are necessarily vertex permutations.

Keywords

• genus of a graph
• linear operator
• vertex permutation