All cycle-chords are $e$-positive

Abstract

We establish the $e$-positivity of cycle-chord graphs by using the composition method which is developed by Zhou and the author recently. Our method is simpler than the $(e)$-positivity approach which is used for handling cycle-chords with girth at most $4$. We also provide a combinatorial interpretation of the $e$-coefficients, and conjecture that theta graphs are $e$-positive.

8 pages, 3 figures