A Network-Flow Feasibility Theorem and Combinatorial Applications

There are a number of interesting theorems, relative to capacitated networks, that give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of flows satisfying constraints of various kinds. Typical of these are the supply-demand theorem due to Gale (4), which states a condition for the existence of a flow satisfying demands at certain nodes from supplies at other nodes, and the Hoffman circulation theorem (received by the present author in private communication), which states a condition for the existence of a circulatory flow in a network in which each arc has associated with it not only an upper bound for the arc flow, but a lower bound as well. If the constraints on flows are integral (for example, if the bounds on arc flows for the circulation theorem are integers), it is also true that integral flows meeting the requirements exist provided any flow does so.