Semi-Degree Threshold for Anti-Directed Hamiltonian Cycles

Abstract

In 1960 Ghouila-Houri extended Dirac's theorem to directed graphs by proving that if $D$ is a directed graph on $n$ vertices with minimum out-degree and in-degree at least $n/2$, then $D$ contains a directed Hamiltonian cycle. For directed graphs one may ask for other orientations of a Hamiltonian cycle and in 1980 Grant initiated the problem of determining minimum degree conditions for a directed graph $D$ to contain an anti-directed Hamiltonian cycle (an orientation in which consecutive edges alternate direction). We prove that for sufficiently large even $n$, if $D$ is a directed graph on $n$ vertices with minimum out-degree and in-degree at least $\frac{n}{2}+1$, then $D$ contains an anti-directed Hamiltonian cycle. In fact, we prove the stronger result that $\frac{n}{2}$ is sufficient unless $D$ is one of two counterexamples. This result is sharp.