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On Graphs of Maximum Degree 3 and Defect 4

Guillermo Pineda-Villavicencio1,2, Mirka Miller2,3
1Department of Computer Science, University of Oriente, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
2School of Information Technology and Mathematical Sciences University of Ballarat, Ballarat, Australia
3Department of Mathematics, University of West Bohemia,Pilsen, Cacch Republic

Abstract

It is well known that apart from the Petersen graph, there are no Moore graphs of degree 3. As a cubic graph must have an even number of vertices, there are no graphs of maximum degree 3 and \(\delta\) vertices less than the Moore bound, where \(\delta\) is odd. Additionally, it is known that there exist only three graphs of maximum degree 3 and 2 vertices less than the Moore bound. In this paper, we consider graphs of maximum degree 3, diameter \( D \geq 2 \), and 4 vertices less than the Moore bound, denoted as \((3, D, 4)\)-graphs. We obtain all non-isomorphic \((3, D, 4)\)-graphs for \( D = 2 \). Furthermore, for any diameter \( D \), we consider the girth of \((3, D, 4)\)-graphs. By a counting argument, it is easy to see that the girth is at least \( 2D – 2 \). The main contribution of this paper is that we prove that the girth of a \((3, D, 4)\)-graph is at least \( 2D – 1 \). Finally, for \( D > 4 \), we conjecture that the girth of a \((3, D, 4)\)-graph is \( 2D \).

Keywords: Degree/diameter problem, cubic graphs, Moore bound, Moore graphs, defect.