Three-Edges and the SOS Rank of Biquadratic Forms

Abstract

We extend the augmented bipartite graph framework for biquadratic sum-of-squares (SOS) ranks by introducing $3$-edges -- triples of cells representing squares of three-term bilinear forms. We define suitable generalized cycle-free conditions that are purely combinatorial yet sufficient to guarantee that the SOS rank equals the total number of edges, carefully distinguishing occupation by $1$/$2$-edges from occupation by $3$-edges. The main theorem states that for any generalized cycle-free augmented bipartite graph $G$ satisfying the simplicity condition (S), the associated triply simple biquadratic form $P_G$ satisfies $\mathrm{sos}(P_G)=|E_1|+|E_2|+|E_3|$. The proof extends the orthogonality method with a novel trick: when a $2$-edge and a $3$-edge interact, the $3$-edge condition must be invoked rather than the $2$-edge condition. We give three applications. A $5\times 3$ construction with two $2$-edges, inadmissible under the original definition, is admissible under our new definition, yielding $z_{3L}(5,3)\ge 10$ and improving $z_L(5,3)=9$. A $10\times 5$ graph using a column-fully-degenerate $3$-edge gives $z_{3L}(10,5)\ge 27$, separating it from $z_L(10,5)=26$. A $15\times 6$ graph using a half-row-degenerate $3$-edge improves the lower bound for $\mathrm{BSR}(15,6)$ from $43$ to $44$. These are the first explicit applications of $3$-edges to obtain improved lower bounds for $\mathrm{BSR}(m,n)$, and the $5\times 3$ example demonstrates the power of the refined conditions.