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We introduce the class of strong cocomparability graphs, as the class of reflexive graphs whose adjacency matrix can be rearranged by a simultaneous row and column permutation to avoid the submatrix with rows 01, 10, which we call Slash. We provide an ordering characterization, a forbidden structure characterization, and a polynomial-time recognition algorithm, for the class. These results complete the picture in which in addition to, or instead of, the Slash matrix one forbids the Gamma matrix (which has rows 11, 10). It is well known that in these two cases one obtains the class of interval graphs, and the class of strongly chordal graphs, respectively. By complementation, we obtain the class of strong comparability graphs, whose adjacency matrix can be rearranged by a simultaneous row and column permutation to avoid the two-by-two identity submatrix. Thus our results give characterizations and algorithms for this class of irreflexive graphs as well. In other words, our results may be interpreted as solving the following problem: given a symmetric 0,1-matrix with 0-diagonal, can the rows and columns of be simultaneously permuted to avoid the two-by-two identity submatrix?, 19 pages, 3 figures

The inverse eigenvalue problem of a graph studies the real symmetric matrices whose off-diagonal pattern is prescribed by the adjacencies of the graph. The strong spectral property (SSP) is an important tool for this problem. This note establishes the bifurcation lemma, which states that if a spectrum can be realized by a matrix with the SSP for some graph, then all the nearby spectra can also be realized by matrices with the SSP for the same graph. The idea of the bifurcation lemma also works for other strong properties and for not necessarily symmetric matrices. This is used to develop new techniques for verifying a spectrally arbitrary pattern or inertially arbitrary pattern. The bifurcation lemma provides a unified theoretical foundation for several known results, such as the stable northeast lemma and the nilpotent-centralizer method.

We define strongly chordal digraphs, which generalize strongly chordal graphs and chordal bipartite graphs, and are included in the class of chordal digraphs. They correspond to square 0,1 matrices that admit a simultaneous row and column permutation avoiding the {\Gamma} matrix. In general, it is not clear if these digraphs can be recognized in polynomial time, and we focus on symmetric digraphs (i.e., graphs with possible loops), tournaments with possible loops, and balanced digraphs. In each of these cases we give a polynomial-time recognition algorithm and a forbidden induced subgraph characterization. We also discuss an algorithm for minimum general dominating set in strongly chordal graphs with possible loops, extending and unifying similar algorithms for strongly chordal graphs and chordal bipartite graphs.

We propose bipartite analogues of comparability and cocomparability graphs. Surprizingly, the two classes coincide. We call these bipartite graphs cocomparability bigraphs. We characterize cocomparability bigraphs in terms of vertex orderings, forbidden substructures, and orientations of their complements. In particular, we prove that cocomparability bigraphs are precisely those bipartite graphs that do not have edge-asteroids; this is analogous to Gallai's structural characterization of cocomparability graphs by the absence of (vertex-) asteroids. Our characterizations imply a robust polynomial-time recognition algorithm for the class of cocomparability bigraphs. Finally, we also discuss a natural relation of cocomparability bigraphs to interval containment bigraphs, resembling a well-known relation of cocomparability graphs to interval graphs., 18 pages, 4 figures

Connections between vital linkages and zero forcing are established. Specifically, the notion of a rigid linkage is introduced as a special kind of unique linkage and it is shown that spanning forcing paths of a zero forcing process form a spanning rigid linkage and thus a vital linkage. A related generalization of zero forcing that produces a rigid linkage via a coloring process is developed. One of the motivations for introducing zero forcing is to provide an upper bound on the maximum multiplicity of an eigenvalue among the real symmetric matrices described by a graph. Rigid linkages and a related notion of rigid shortest linkages are utilized to obtain bounds on the multiplicities of eigenvalues of this family of matrices., 23 pages

There are profound relations between the zero forcing number and minimum rank of a graph. We study the relation of both parameters with a third one, the algebraic co-rank; that is defined as the largest $i$ such that the $i$-th critical ideal is trivial. This gives a new perspective for bounding and computing these three graph parameters.

We conjecture that all connected graphs of order $n$ have von Neumann entropy at least as great as the star $K_{1,n-1}$ and prove this for almost all graphs of order $n$. We show that connected graphs of order $n$ have R\'enyi 2-entropy at least as great as $K_{1,n-1}$ and for $\alpha>1$, $K_n$ maximizes R\'enyi $\alpha$-entropy over graphs of order $n$. We show that adding an edge to a graph can lower its von Neumann entropy.

The maximum nullity $M(G)$ and the Colin de Verdi\`ere type parameter $\xi(G)$ both consider the largest possible nullity over matrices in $\mathcal{S}(G)$, which is the family of real symmetric matrices whose $i,j$-entry, $i\neq j$, is nonzero if $i$ is adjacent to $j$, and zero otherwise; however, $\xi(G)$ restricts to those matrices $A$ in $\mathcal{S}(G)$ with the Strong Arnold Property, which means $X=O$ is the only symmetric matrix that satisfies $A\circ X=O$, $I\circ X=O$, and $AX=O$. This paper introduces zero forcing parameters $Z_{\mathrm{SAP}}(G)$ and $Z_{\mathrm{vc}}(G)$, and proves that $Z_{\mathrm{SAP}}(G)=0$ implies every matrix $A\in \mathcal{S}(G)$ has the Strong Arnold Property and that the inequality $M(G)-Z_{\mathrm{vc}}(G)\leq \xi(G)$ holds for every graph $G$. Finally, the values of $\xi(G)$ are computed for all graphs up to $7$ vertices, establishing $\xi(G)=\lfloor Z\rfloor(G)$ for these graphs.