Sequentially Cohen-Macaulay binomial edge ideals of closed graphs (Q2157923)

Let \(G\) be a simple graph on the vertex set \(\{ 1, \dots, n\}\) and let \(K\) be a field. The binomial edge ideal of \(G\) is the ideal of \(S=K[x_1,\dots, x_n,y_1,\dots,y_n]\) generated by the minors along columns \(i\) and \(j\), for every \(\{ i,j\} \in E_G\), of the matrix \[ \left [ \begin{array}{ccc} x_1 & \cdots & x_n \\ y_1 & \cdots & y_n \end{array} \right ]. \] The present work provides a characterization of sequentially Cohen-Macaulay edge ideals of closed graphs. Here, closed means that there exists a relabeling of the vertices such the edge set of \(G\) satisfies: \begin{gather*} \{ i,j \} ,\{i,l\} \in E_G \implies \{j,l\} \in E_G \\ \{ i,j\} , \{k,j\} \in E_G \implies \{i,k\} \in E_G \end{gather*} where \(i<j\), \(i<l\) and \(k<j\) -- see [\textit{J. Herzog} et al., Adv. Appl. Math. 45, No. 3, 317--333 (2010; Zbl 1196.13018)]. The generators of the binomial edge ideal of a graph form a quadratic Gröbner basis if and only if \(G\) is closed (see [loc. cit.]). Closed graphs can also be characterized using their clique complex -- see [\textit{V. Ene} et al., Nagoya Math. J. 204, 57--68 (2011; Zbl 1236.13011)] and it is from this point of view that the characterization of sequentially Cohen-Macaulay binomial edge ideals of closed graphs is obtained (Theorem 2.2). In the last section of this work, the authors investigate the \textit{almost} and \textit{approximately Cohen-Macaulay} properties of the binomial edge ideal of closed graphs. In Theorem 3.7 they show that (for a closed graph) they are equivalent.