Universal conditions on \(h^*\)-vectors of lattice simplices (Q2035119)

It is well known that for a polytope \(P\) with vertices in the lattice \({\mathbb Z}^d\), the Ehrhart polynomial \(E_P(n)=|nP\cap{\mathbb Z}^d|\) has a generating function of the form \[ 1+ \sum_{n=1}^\infty |nP\cap{\mathbb Z}^d|t^n=\frac{\sum_{i=0}^d h_i^*t^i}{(1-t)^{d+1}}\] and that the \(h^*\)-polynomial \(h^*_P(t)=\sum_{i=0}^d h_i^*t^i\) has nonnegative integer coefficients. This paper first discusses necessary conditions for the numbers \(h_i^*\). The main result is then the following theorem. Let \(\Delta\) be a lattice simplex with \(h^*\)-polynomial \(h_\Delta^*(t)=\sum h_i^*t^i\). Assume that \(h_{k+1}^* = h_{k+2}^* =\dots = h_{2k}^*=0\) for some \(k\ge 2\). Then there exists a face \(\Delta'\) of \(\Delta\) such that \(h_{\Delta'}^*(t)= \sum_{i=0}^k h_i^*t^i\). The necessity of the conditions is illustrated by an example. The paper concludes with open questions.