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On the sandpile group of dual graphs. (English) Zbl 0969.05034
E. Goles studied the notion of sandpile group in [Sand piles, combinatorial games and cellular automata. Instabilities and nonequilibrium structures III. Math. Appl., 64, 101-121 (1991)].
Let $$G= (X,E)$$ be a (nondirected) finite connected graph without loops. The elements of $${\mathcal Z}^n$$ (i.e., the vectors of length $$n$$ whose components are integers) form an abelian group. By the sandpile group $$\text{SP}(G)$$ of $$G$$, a factor group of $${\mathcal Z}^n$$ is meant (where $$n=|X|$$) with respect to a subgroup defined by means of the adjacency matrix of $$G$$.
It is shown that $$\text{SP}(G)$$ and $$\text{SP}(G^*)$$ are isomorphic if $$G$$ is a planar graph and $$G^*$$ is its dual, and that to every finite abelian group $${\mathfrak G}$$ there is a planar graph $$G$$ such that $$\text{SP}(G)$$ is isomorphic to $${\mathfrak G}$$. The sandpile groups $$\text{SP}(K_n)$$ are explicitly determined ($$K_n$$ is the complete graph on $$n$$ vertices).
Let $$v$$ be a cut vertex of $$G$$. Denote by $$G_i$$ the subgraph induced by $$X_i\cup \{v\}$$ where $$X_i$$ is one of the vertex classes (split by $$v$$). It is stated that $$\text{SP}(G)$$ is the direct product of all the groups $$\text{SP}(G_i)$$.
The authors consider models formerly also discussed by D. Dhar [Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, No. 14, 1613-1616 (1990)].

##### MSC:
 05C25 Graphs and abstract algebra (groups, rings, fields, etc.)
##### Keywords:
dual graphs; sandpile group; planar graph
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##### References:
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