Algebraic shifting and sequentially Cohen-Macaulay simplicial complexes (Q1379163)

Summary: Björner and Wachs generalized the definition of shellability by dropping the assumption of purity; they also introduced the \textsl{\(h\)-triangle}, a doubly-indexed generalization of the \(h\)-vector which is combinatorially significant for nonpure shellable complexes. Stanley subsequently defined a nonpure simplicial complex to be \textsl{sequentially Cohen-Macaulay} if it satisfies algebraic conditions that generalize the Cohen-Macaulay conditions for pure complexes, so that a nonpure shellable complex is sequentially Cohen-Macaulay. We show that algebraic shifting preserves the \(h\)-triangle of a simplicial complex \(K\) if and only if \(K\) is sequentially Cohen-Macaulay. This generalizes a result of Kalai's for the pure case. Immediate consequences include that nonpure shellable complexes and sequentially Cohen-Macaulay complexes have the same set of possible \(h\)-triangles.