On the Gonality of Ferrers Rook Graphs

Abstract

A Ferrers rook graph is a graph whose vertices correspond to the dots in a Ferrers diagram, and where two vertices are adjacent if they are in the same row or the same column.  We propose a conjectural formula for the gonality of Ferrers rook graphs, and prove this conjecture for a few infinite families of Ferrers diagrams.  We also prove the conjecture for all Ferrers diagrams F with |F| ≤ 8.