Bounding the search number of graph products

Abstract

In this paper, we provide results for the search number of the Cartesian product of graphs. We consider graphs on opposing ends of the spectrum: paths and cliques. Our main result determines the pathwidth of the product of cliques and provides a lower bound for the search number of the product of cliques. A consequence of this result is a bound for the search number of arbitrary graphs G and H based on their respective clique numbers.