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The neighborhood polynomial of graph G is the generating function for the number of vertex subsets of G of which the vertices have a common neighbor in G. In this paper, we investigate the behavior of this polynomial under several graph operations. Specifically, we provide an explicit formula for the neighborhood polynomial of the graph obtained from a given graph G by vertex attachment. We use this result to propose a recursive algorithm for the calculation of the neighborhood polynomial. Finally, we prove that the neighborhood polynomial can be found in polynomial-time in the class of k-degenerate graphs.

This paper introduces a trivariate graph polynomial that is a common generalization of the domination polynomial, the Ising polynomial, the matching polynomial, and the cut polynomial of a graph. This new graph polynomial, called the bipartition polynomial, permits a variety of interesting representations, for instance as a sum ranging over all spanning forests. As a consequence, the bipartition polynomial is a powerful tool for proving properties of other graph polynomials and graph invariants. We apply this approach to show that, analogously to the Tutte polynomial, the Ising polynomial introduced by Andrén and Markström in [3], can be represented as a sum over spanning forests.

We present a two-variable polynomial, which simultaneously generalizes the chromatic polynomial, the independence polynomial, and the matching polynomial of a graph. This new polynomial satisfies both an edge decomposition formula and a vertex decomposition formula. We establish two general expressions for this new polynomial: one in terms of the broken circuit complex and one in terms of the lattice of forbidden colorings. We show that the new polynomial may be considered as a specialization of Stanley's chromatic symmetric function. We finally give explicit expressions for the generalized chromatic polynomial of complete graphs, complete bipartite graphs, paths, and cycles, and show that it can be computed in polynomial time for trees and graphs of restricted pathwidth.

We present a two-variable polynomial, which simultaneously generalizes the chromatic polynomial, the independence polynomial, and the matching polynomial of a graph. This new polynomial satisfies both an edge decomposition formula and a vertex decomposition formula. We establish two general expressions for this new polynomial: one in terms of the broken circuit complex and one in terms of the lattice of forbidden colorings. We show that the new polynomial may be considered as a specialization of Stanley's chromatic symmetric function. We finally give explicit expressions for the generalized chromatic polynomial of complete graphs, complete bipartite graphs, paths, and cycles, and show that it can be computed in polynomial time for trees and graphs of restricted pathwidth.