The odd independence number of graphs, I: Foundations and classical classes

Abstract: An odd independent set $S$ in a graph $G=(V,E)$ is an independent set of vertices such that, for every vertex $v \in V \setminus S$, either $N(v) \cap S = \emptyset$ or $|N(v) \cap S| \equiv 1$ (mod 2), where $N(v)$ stands for the open neighborhood of $v$. The largest cardinality of odd independent sets of a graph $G$, denoted $\alpha_{od}(G)$, is called the odd independence number of $G$. This new parameter is a natural companion to the recently introduced strong odd chromatic number. A proper vertex coloring of a graph $G$ is a strong odd coloring if, for every vertex $v \in V(G)$, each color used in the neighborhood of $v$ appears an odd number of times in $N(v)$. The minimum number of colors in a strong odd coloring of $G$ is denoted by $\chi_{so}(G)$. A simple relation involving these two parameters and the order $|G|$ of $G$ is $\alpha_{od}(G)\cdot \chi_{so}(G) \geq |G|$, parallel to the same on chromatic number and independence number. We develop several basic inequalities concerning $\alpha_{od}(G)$, and use already existing results on strong odd coloring, to derive lower bounds for odd independence in many families of graphs. We prove that $\alpha_{od}(G) = \alpha(G^2)$ holds for all claw-free graphs $G$, and present many results, using various techniques, concerning the odd independence number of cycles, paths, Moore graphs, Kneser graphs, the complete subdivision $S(K_n)$ of $K_n$, the half graphs $H_{n,n}$, and $K_p \Box K_q$. Further, we consider the odd independence number of the hypercube $Q_d$ and also of the complements of triangle-free graphs. Many open problems for future research are stated.