Intersecting 1-factors and nowhere-zero 5-flows

Abstract

Let $G$ be a bridgeless cubic graph, and $\mu_2(G)$ the minimum number $k$ such that two 1-factors of $G$ intersect in $k$ edges. A cyclically $n$-edge-connected cubic graph $G$ has a nowhere-zero 5-flow if (1) $n \geq 6$ and $\mu_2(G) \leq 2$ or (2) if $n \geq 5 \mu_2(G)-3$