Stepping Stone Problem on Graphs

: This paper formalizes the stepping stone problem introduced Ladoucer and Rebenstock [G] to the setting of simple graphs. This paper considers the set of functions from the vertices of our graph to N , which assign a fixed number of 1’s to some vertices and assign higher numbers to other vertices by adding up their neighbors’ assignments. The stepping stone solution is defined as an element obtained from the argmax of the maxima of these functions, and the maxima as its growth. This work is organized into work on the bounded and unbounded degree graph cases. In the bounded case, sufficient conditions are obtained for superlinear and sublinear stepping stone solution growth. Furthermore this paper demonstrates the existence of a basis of graphs which characterizes superlinear growth. In the unbounded case, properly sublinear and superlinear stepping stone solution growth are obtained.