Congruences and subdirect representations of graphs

Abstract

A basic tool in universal algebra is that of a congruence. It has been shown that congruences can be defined for graphs with properties similar to their universal algebraic counterparts. In particular, a subdirect product of graphs and hence also a subdirectly irreducible graph, can be expressed in terms of graph congruences. Here the subdirectly irreducible graphs are determined explicitly. Using congruences, a graph theoretic version of the well-known Birkhoff Theorem from universal algebra is given. This shows that any non-trivial graph is a subdirect product of subdirectly irreducible graphs

Keywords

• congruence on a graph, quotient graph, subdirect product of graphs, subdirectly irreducible graph, birkhoff's theorem