Regularity and separation for Sierpi\'nski products of graphs

Abstract

The Sierpi\'nski product of graphs generalises the vast and relevant class of Sierpi\'nski-type graphs, and is also related to the classic lexicographic product of graphs. Our first main results are necessary and sufficient conditions for the higher connectivity of Sierpi\'nski products. Among other applications, we characterise the polyhedral ($3$-connected and planar) Sierpi\'nski products of polyhedra. Our other main result is the complete classification of the regular polyhedral Sierpi\'nski products, and more generally of the regular, connected, planar Sierpi\'nski products. To prove this classification, we introduce and study the intriguing class of planar graphs where each vertex may be assigned a colour in such a way that each vertex has neighbours of the same set of colours and in the same cyclic order around the vertex. We also completely classify the planar lexicographic products.