Let G(n,M) be a uniform random graph with n vertices and M edges. Let ${\wp_{n,m}}$ be the maximum block size of G(n,M), that is, the maximum size of its maximal 2-connected induced subgraphs. We determine the expectation of ${\wp_{n,m}}$ near the critical point M = n/2. When n − 2M ≫ n2/3, we find a constant c1 such that

$$c_1 = \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} \left({1 - \frac{2M}{n}} \right) \,\E({\wp_{n,m}}).$$

$$c_2(\lambda) = \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} \frac{\E{\left({\wp_{n,{{(n/2)}({1+\lambda n^{-1/3}})}}}\right)}}{n^{1/3}}.$$

$n^{-1/3}\,\E{\left({\wp_{n,{{(n/2)}({1+\lambda n^{-1/3}})}}}\right)}$

In network modelling of complex systems one is often required to sample random realizations of networks that obey a given set of constraints, usually in the form of graph measures. A much studied class of problems targets uniform sampling of simple graphs with given degree sequence or also with given degree correlations expressed in the form of a Joint Degree Matrix. One approach is to use Markov chains based on edge switches (swaps) that preserve the constraints, are irreducible (ergodic) and fast mixing. In 1999, Kannan, Tetali and Vempala (KTV) proposed a simple swap Markov chain for sampling graphs with given degree sequence, and conjectured that it mixes rapidly (in polynomial time) for arbitrary degree sequences. Although the conjecture is still open, it has been proved for special degree sequences, in particular for those of undirected and directed regular simple graphs, half-regular bipartite graphs, and graphs with certain bounded maximum degrees. Here we prove the fast mixing KTV conjecture for novel, exponentially large classes of irregular degree sequences. Our method is based on a canonical decomposition of degree sequences into split graph degree sequences, a structural theorem for the space of graph realizations and on a factorization theorem for Markov chains. After introducing bipartite ‘splitted’ degree sequences, we also generalize the canonical split graph decomposition for bipartite and directed graphs.

A cutset is a non-empty finite subset of ℤd which is both connected and co-connected. A cutset is odd if its vertex boundary lies in the odd bipartition class of ℤd. Peled [18] suggested that the number of odd cutsets which contain the origin and have n boundary edges may be of order eΘ(n/d) as d → ∞, much smaller than the number of general cutsets, which was shown by Lebowitz and Mazel [15] to be of order dΘ(n/d). In this paper, we verify this by showing that the number of such odd cutsets is (2+o(1))n/2d.

We identify the asymptotic probability of a configuration model CMn(d) producing a connected graph within its critical window for connectivity that is identified by the number of vertices of degree 1 and 2, as well as the expected degree. In this window, the probability that the graph is connected converges to a non-trivial value, and the size of the complement of the giant component weakly converges to a finite random variable. Under a finite second moment condition we also derive the asymptotics of the connectivity probability conditioned on simplicity, from which follows the asymptotic number of simple connected graphs with a prescribed degree sequence.

We consider the number of spanning trees in circulant graphs of ${\it\beta}n$ vertices with generators depending linearly on $n$. The matrix tree theorem gives a closed formula of ${\it\beta}n$ factors, while we derive a formula of ${\it\beta}-1$ factors. We also derive a formula for the number of spanning trees in discrete tori. Finally, we compare the spanning tree entropy of circulant graphs with fixed and nonfixed generators.

We show that the diameter diam(Gn) of a random labelled connected planar graph with n vertices is equal to n1/4+o(1), in probability. More precisely, there exists a constant c > 0 such that

$$ P(\D(G_n)\in(n^{1/4-\e},n^{1/4+\e}))\geq 1-\exp(-n^{c\e}) $$

We consider the problem of enumerating d-irreducible maps, i.e., planar maps all of whose cycles have length at least d, and such that any cycle of length d is the boundary of a face of degree d. We develop two approaches in parallel: the natural approach via substitution, where these maps are obtained from general maps by a replacement of all d-cycles by elementary faces, and a bijective approach via slice decomposition, which consists in cutting the maps along shortest paths. Both lead to explicit expressions for the generating functions of d-irreducible maps with controlled face degrees, summarized in some elegant ‘pointing formula’. We provide an equivalent description of d-irreducible slices in terms of so-called d-oriented trees. We finally show that irreducible maps give rise to a hierarchy of discrete integrable equations which include equations encountered previously in the context of naturally embedded trees.