Zero-free regions of partition functions with applications to algorithms and graph limits

Based on a technique of Barvinok and Barvinok and Soberón we identify a class of edge-coloring models whose partition functions do not evaluate to zero on bounded degree graphs. Subsequently we give a quasi-polynomial time approximation scheme for computing these partition functions. As another application we show that the normalised partition functions of these models are continuous with respect the Benjamini-Schramm topology on bounded degree graphs. We moreover give quasi-polynomial time approximation schemes for evaluating a large class of graph polynomials, including the Tutte polynomial, on bounded degree graphs.