Path-maximizes analytic spread among trees

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Let T1T_1 and T2T_2 be trees on nn and mm vertices, respectively, and fix i∈V(T1)i\in V(T_1) and j∈V(T2)j\in V(T_2). For a positive integer ll, define G1G_1 as the tree on n+m+ln+m+l vertices with edge set

E(T1)⊔E(T2)⊔i,m+n+1,m+n+1,m+n+2,…,m+n+l,j,E(T_1)\sqcup E(T_2)\sqcup\\{\\{i,m+n+1\\},\\{m+n+1,m+n+2\\},\ldots,\\{m+n+l,j\\}\\},

and define G2G_2 as the tree on n+m+ln+m+l vertices obtained by identifying ii with jj in the disjoint union of T1T_1 and T2T_2, then adjoining the tail with edges i,n+m+1,n+m+1,n+m+2,…,m+n+l,m+n+l+1\\{i,n+m+1\\},\\{n+m+1,n+m+2\\},\ldots,\\{m+n+l,m+n+l+1\\}. Path-maximization conjecture. For every graph HH,

ℓ(JG1,H)≥ℓ(JG2,H).\ell(J_{G_1,H})\geq\ell(J_{G_2,H}).

The proposed comparison says that separating the two trees and joining them by a path does not decrease analytic spread relative to identifying the attachment vertices and adding a tail. The source notes that this would imply ℓ(JPn,H)≥ℓ(JT,H)\ell(J_{P_n,H})\geq\ell(J_{T,H}) for every nn-vertex tree TT and every graph HH, but gives no proof or resolution.

References

Primary source

Stephen Landsittel and Eran Nevo, “Analytic Spread via Linear Matroids”, arXiv:2607.07458 (2026).

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