Variations of Pancyclic Graphs

Jill Taudree1, R. Jasper Faudree2, Ronald J. Gould3, Michael 8. Jacobson4, Linda Lesniak5
1University of Alaska, Fairbanks
2University of Memphis
3Emory University
4University of Colorado at Denver
5Drew University

Abstract

A graph \( G \) of order \( n \) is pancyclic if it contains a cycle of length \( \ell \) for every \( \ell \) such that \( 3 \leq \ell \leq n \). If the graph is bipartite, then it contains no cycles of odd length. A balanced bipartite graph \( G \) of order \( 2n \) is bipancyclic if it contains a cycle of length \( \ell \) for every even \( \ell \), such that \( 4 \leq \ell \leq 2n \). A graph \( G \) of order \( n \) is called \( k \)-semipancyclic, \( k \geq 0 \), if there is no “gap” of \( k+1 \) among the cycle lengths in \( G \), i.e., for no \( \ell \leq n-k \) is it the case that each of \( C_\ell, \ldots, C_{\ell+k} \) is missing from \( G \). Generalizing this to bipartite graphs, a bipartite graph \( G \) of order \( n \) is called \( k \)-semibipancyclic, \( k \geq 0 \), if there is no “gap” of \( k+1 \) among the even cycle lengths in \( G \), i.e., for no \( \ell \leq n-2k \) is it the case that each of \( C_{2\ell}, \ldots, C_{2\ell+2k} \) is missing from \( G \).

In this paper we generalize a result of Hakimi and Schmeichel in several ways. First to \( k \)-semipancyclic, then to bipartite graphs, giving a condition for a hamiltonian bipartite graph to be bipancyclic or one of two exceptional graphs. Finally, we give a condition for a hamiltonian bipartite graph to be \( k \)-semibipancyclic or a member of a very special class of hamiltonian bipartite graphs.

Keywords: pancyclic, cycle, hamiltonian, degree, degree sum AMS Classification: 05C38