Projective plane graphs and 3-rigidity

Abstract

It is shown that a simple graph which is embeddable in the real projective plane is minimally 3-rigid if and only if it is (3,6)-tight. Moreover the topologically uncontractible embedded graphs of this type are constructible from one of 8 embedded graphs by a sequence of vertex splitting moves. In particular the characterisation of minimal 3-rigidity holds for a triangulated Mobius strip.