Reversible shellings and an inequality for \(h\)-vectors (Q1126212): Difference between revisions

If \(\Gamma\) is a finite pure simplicial complex of rank \(d\), with \(f_i\) elements of cardinality \(i\) (the number of its \((i-1)\)-faces -- not, as the author writes, the number of \(i\)-faces), then the \(h\)-vector \((h_0, \dots, h_d)\) of \(\Gamma\) is given by \[ \sum_{i=0}^d h_ix^{d-i}: =\sum^d_{i=0} f_i(x-1)^{d-i}. \] More generally, the \(h\)-vector can be defined analogously for matroids. Now the lexicographic order of the bases of a matroid gives a shelling. The author shows that, if the boundary is empty, then this shelling is reversible (that is, its reverse order is also a shelling). Moreover, the \(h\)-vector then satisfies the inequality \[ h_0+h_1+ \cdots +h_i\leq h_d+h_{d-1}+ \cdots +h_{d-i} \] whenever \(0\leq i\leq d/2\).