KAIST Discrete Math Seminar

Given a cardinal $\lambda$, a $\lambda$-packing of a graph $G$ is a family of $\lambda$ many edge-disjoint spanning trees of $G$, and a $\lambda$-covering of $G$ is a family of spanning trees covering $E(G)$.

We show that if a graph admits a $\lambda$-packing and a $\lambda$-covering  then the graph also admits a decomposition into $\lambda$ many spanning trees. In this talk, we concentrate on the case of $\lambda$ being an infinite cardinal. Moreover, we will provide a new and simple proof for a theorem of Laviolette characterising the existence of a $\lambda$-packing, as well as for a theorem of Erdős and Hajnal characterising the existence of a $\lambda$-covering.

Joint work with Joshua Erde, Attila Joó, Paul Knappe and Max Pitz.