Wiki
Wiki

Research notes on every problem, and a library of the papers behind them. Built from the open erdos repository.

Updated


Source. Section 7.2, printed pp. 465–466 (published PDF).

Statement. Suppose a retained pseudovertex b′b' is inner in a planted tree T′T' for a quotient matching M′M'. Expand its remembered odd circuit BB. Let b1b_1 be the attachment in BB of its matching tree edge, and b2b_2 the attachment of its nonmatching tree edge. Replace b′b' in the tree by the even arc of BB between these vertices, using the zero-edge arc if b1=b2b_1=b_2. The resulting graph is a planted tree for the lifted matching.

Proof. The inner vertex has exactly two tree edges, one matching and one nonmatching. Lift M′M' by the unique circuit matching MBM_B omitting b1b_1, as in Section 4.14. If b1≠b2b_1\ne b_2, the two arcs between them have opposite parity, since BB is odd. Along either arc from b1b_1, the edges of MBM_B alternate, beginning with a nonmatching edge. Thus the even arc ends with a matching edge at b2b_2.

Replacing the original degree-two vertex by this path leaves a tree. Label its endpoints b1,b2b_1,b_2 inner, and alternate the labels along the even arc. All new inner vertices have degree two, counting the two external tree attachments at its ends. The matching and nonmatching edges alternate through the replacement: the external matching edge covers b1b_1, and the internal final matching edge covers b2b_2.

The unused arc's interior is even in size and is matched internally by MBM_B. No edge of the lifted matching crosses from that interior into the replacement path. Thus the enlarged tree retains its original exposed root and is planted in the expanded graph.

If b1=b2b_1=b_2, use just this one vertex with its two external tree edges. All other circuit vertices are matched internally, and the same conclusions hold. Any child pseudovertices still denote their unchanged blocks and edge attachments; they may be expanded later in the same way. □\square