Unimodality of the independence polynomials of some composite graphs

Let I(G;x) denote the independence polynomial of a graph G. In this paper we study the unimodality properties of I(G; x) for some composite graphs G. Given two graphs G1 and G2, let G1[G2] denote the lexicographic product of G1 and G2. Assume I(G1; x) = P i_0 aixi and I(G2; x) = P i_0 bixi, where I(G2; x) is log-concave. Then we prove (i) if I(G1; x) is logconcave and (a2i ??ai??1ai+1)b21 _ aiai??1b2 for all 1 _ i _ _(G1), then I(G1[G2]; x) is log-concave; (ii) if ai??1 _ b1ai for 1 _ i _ _(G1), then I(G1[G2]; x) is unimodal. In particular, if ai is increasing in i, then I(G1[G2]; x) is unimodal. We also give two su_cient conditions when the independence polynomial of a complete multipartite graph is unimodal or log-concave. Finally, for every odd positive integer _ > 3, we find a connected graph G not a tree, such that _(G) = _, and I(G; x) is symmetric and has only real zeros. This answers a problem of Mandrescu and Miric?a.