Asymptotic Bounds on Graphical Partitions and Partition Comparability

Abstract

An integer partition is called graphical if it is the degree sequence of a simple graph. We prove that the probability that a uniformly chosen partition of size $n$ is graphical decreases to zero faster than $n^{-.003}$, answering a question of Pittel. A lower bound of $n^{-1/2}$ was proven by Erd\H{o}s and Richmond, and so this demonstrates that the probability decreases polynomially. Key to our argument is an asymptotic result of Pittel characterizing the joint distribution of the first rows and columns of a uniformly random partition, combined with a characterization of graphical partitions due to Erd\H{o}s and Gallai. Our proof also implies a polynomial upper bound for the probability that two randomly chosen partitions are comparable in the dominance order.