The Realizability of Theta Graphs as Reconfiguration Graphs of Minimum Independent Dominating Sets

Abstract

The independent domination number $i(G)$ of a graph $G$ is the minimum cardinality of a maximal independent set of $G$, also called an $i(G)$-set. The $i$-graph of $G$ is the graph whose vertices correspond to the $i(G)$-sets, and where two $i(G)$-sets are adjacent if and only if they differ by two adjacent vertices. Not all graphs are $i$-graph realizable, that is, given a target graph $H$, there does not necessarily exist a source graph $G$ such that $H$ is the $i$-graph of $G$. We consider a class of graphs called "theta graphs": a theta graph is the union of three internally disjoint nontrivial paths with the same two distinct end vertices. We characterize theta graphs that are $i$-graph realizable, showing that there are only finitely many that are not. We also characterize those line graphs and claw-free graphs that are $i$-graphs, and show that all $3$-connected cubic bipartite planar graphs are $i$-graphs.