EXTREME STEINER GRAPHS

Abstract

For a connected graph G of order p ≥ 2 and a set W ⊆ V(G), a tree T contained in G is a Steiner tree with respect to W if T is a tree of minimum order with W ⊆ V(T). The set S(W) consists of all vertices in G that lie on some Steiner tree with respect to W. The set W is a Steiner set for G if S(W) = V(G). The Steiner number s(G) of G is the minimum cardinality of its Steiner sets and any Steiner set of cardinality s(G) is a minimum Steiner set of G. A geodetic set of G is a set S of vertices such that every vertex of G is contained in a geodesic joining some pair of vertices of S. The geodetic number g(G) of G is the minimum cardinality of its geodetic sets and any geodetic set of cardinality g(G) is a minimum geodetic set of G. A vertex v is an extreme vertex of a graph G if the subgraph induced by its neighbors is complete. The number of extreme vertices in G is its extreme order ex (G). A graph G is an extreme Steiner graph if s(G) = ex (G), and an extreme geodesic graph if g(G) = ex (G). Extreme Steiner graphs of order p with Steiner number p - 1 are characterized. It is shown that every pair a, b of integers with 0 ≤ a ≤ b is realizable as the extreme order and Steiner number, respectively, of some graph. For positive integers r, d and l ≥ 2 with r < d ≤ 2r, it is shown that there exists an extreme Steiner graph G of radius r, diameter d, and Steiner number l. For integers p, d and k with 2 ≤ d < p, 2 ≤ k < p and p - d - k + 2 ≥ 0, there exists an extreme Steiner graph G of order p, diameter d and Steiner number k. It is shown that for every pair a, b of integers with 3 ≤ a < b and b = a + 1, there exists an extreme Steiner graph G with s(G) = a and g(G) = b that is not an extreme geodesic graph. It is shown that for every pair a, b of integers with 3 ≤ a < b, there exists an extreme geodesic graph G with g(G) = a and s(G) = b that is not an extreme Steiner graph.