On Edge-Decomposition of Cubic Graphs into Copies of the Double-Star with Four Edges‎

Abstract

‎A tree containing exactly two non-pendant vertices is called a double-star‎. ‎Let $k_1$ and $k_2$ be two positive integers‎. ‎The double-star with degree sequence $(k_1+1‎, ‎k_2+1‎, ‎1‎, ‎ldots‎, ‎1)$ is denoted by $S_{k_1‎, ‎k_2}$‎. ‎It is known that a cubic graph has an $S_{1,1}$-decomposition if and only if it contains a perfect matching‎. ‎In this paper‎, ‎we study the $S_{1,2}$-decomposition of cubic graphs‎. ‎We present some necessary and some sufficient conditions for the existence of an $S_{1‎, ‎2}$-decomposition in cubic graphs‎.