The University of Michigan Student Combinatorics Seminar
Winter 2010
March 15, 4:10-5:00, 3866 East Hall



Characterizing m-dissimilarity vectors of trees

Benjamin Iriarte

San Francisco State University


Abstract

One of the main motivations in the study of m-dissimilarity vectors of trees comes from Evolutionary Biology. However, the problem has its own interest from a combinatorial viewpoint. We will discuss some aspects of it, including a simple relation between Tropical Grassmannians and trees. If time permits, we will also show three different characterizations of m-dissimilarity vectors of trees when m=2, and their possible generalizations to higher values of m. This will make use of previuous results and introduce the concept of tropical linear space or tight span of an m-dissimilarity vector.