A Direct Proof of the Locally Dense Graphon Inequality

Abstract

Brada\v{c}, Sudakov, and Wigderson characterized $p$-locally dense graphons by a quadratic inequality for all bounded nonnegative functions. Their proof uses Reiher's finite lemma and graphon approximation, and they asked for a direct proof. We give one by rounding simple functions. Divide each level set into $m$ equal-measure pieces and retain each piece independently with probability equal to its level. Off-diagonal terms agree in expectation; the diagonal error is at most $\norminf{W-p}/(4m)$. Letting $m\to\infty$ and then approximating in $L^1$ proves the inequality. A three-atom example shows that atomlessness is necessary if arbitrary probability spaces are allowed.