Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

Committee Chair

Elaine M. Eschen.

Abstract

Let G be an undirected graph, A be an (additive) abelian group and A* = A - {lcub}0{rcub}. A graph G is A-connected if G has an orientation D(G) such that for every function b : V(G ) A satisfying Sv∈VG b(v) = 0, there is a function f : E(G) A* such that at each vertex v ∈ V(G), ∂f(v), the net flow out from v, equals b( v). An A-nowhere-zero-flow (abbreviated as A-NZF) in G is a function f : E(G) A* such that at each vertex v ∈ V(G), ∂f(v) = 0.;In this paper, we investigate the group connectivity number Lambda g(G) = min{lcub}n : if A is an abelian group with |A| ≥ n, then G is A-connected{rcub} for certain families of graphs including complete bipartite graphs, chordal graphs, wheels and biwheels. We also give some general results and methods to approach nowhere zero flow and group connectivity problems.

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