Graphs as models of communication network vulnerability: Connectivity and persistence

Abstract

AbstractIt is well known that the maximum connectivity k of a graph G with p points and q lines is given by [2 q/p]. This is restated in two useful alternative forms which minimize q given p and k, and which maximize p in terms of q and k. We define the persistence of a graph as the smallest number of points whose removal increases the diameter. It is shown that the persistence of a graph of diameter d is the minimum over all pairs of nonadjacent points of the maximum number of disjoint paths of length at most d joining them. A similar result is obtained for line‐persistence and it is shown that these invariants are independent of each other.