EPPA numbers of graphs

Abstract

If $G$ is a graph, $A$ and $B$ its induced subgraphs, and $f\colon A\to B$ an isomorphism, we say that $f$ is a \emph{partial automorphism} of $G$. In 1992, Hrushovski proved that graphs have the \emph{extension property for partial automorphisms} (\emph{EPPA}, also called the \emph{Hrushovski property}), that is, for every finite graph $G$ there is a finite graph $H$, an \emph{EPPA-witness} for $G$, such that $G$ is an induced subgraph of $H$ and every partial automorphism of $G$ extends to an automorphism of $H$. The EPPA number of a graph $G$, denoted by $\mathop{\mathrm{eppa}}\nolimits(G)$, is the smallest number of vertices of an EPPA-witness for $G$, and we put $\mathop{\mathrm{eppa}}\nolimits(n) = \max\{\mathop{\mathrm{eppa}}\nolimits(G) : \lvert G\rvert = n\}$. In this note we review the state of the area, prove several lower bounds (in particular, we show that $\mathop{\mathrm{eppa}}\nolimits(n)\geq \frac{2^n}{\sqrt{n}}$, thereby identifying the correct base of the exponential) and pose many open questions. We also briefly discuss EPPA numbers of hypergraphs, directed graphs, and $K_k$-free graphs.