Distinguishing critical graphs

Abstract

The distinguishing number $D(G)$ of a graph $G$ is the least integer $d$ such that $G$ has a vertex labeling with $d$ labels that is preserved only by a trivial automorphism. We say that a graph $G$ is $d$-distinguishing critical, if $D(G)=d$ and $D(H)\ne D(G)$, for every proper induced subgraph $H$ of $G$. This generalizes the usual definition of a $d$-chromatic critical graph. While the investigation of $d$-critical graphs is a well established part of coloring theory, not much is known about $d$-distinguishing critical graphs. In this paper we determine all $d$-distinguishing critical graphs for $d=1,2,3$ and observe that all of these kind of graphs are $k$-regular graph for some $k\le d$. Also, we show that the disconnected $d$-distinguishing critical graph with $c$ connected components such that $c\ge \frac{d}{2}$, is a regular graph.

12 pages, 1 figure