How to make a triangulation of S³ polytopal

DOI10.1090/S0002-9947-04-03465-8MaRDI QIDQ4813860zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Simon King

Publication date 13 August 2004

Published in Transactions of the American Mathematical Society (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0009216

zbMATH Keywords

edge contractibilityMorse embeddingspolytopalityRubinstein-Thompson algorithmshellabilityspherical triangulation

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Planar graphs; geometric and topological aspects of graph theory (05C10) (n)-dimensional polytopes (52B11) Shellability for polytopes and polyhedra (52B22) Relations of low-dimensional topology with graph theory (57M15)

Abstract: We introduce a numerical isomorphism invariant p(T) for any triangulation T of S^3. Although its definition is purely topological (inspired by the bridge number of knots), p(T) reflects the geometric properties of T. Specifically, if T is polytopal or shellable then p(T) is `small' in the sense that we obtain a linear upper bound for p(T) in the number n=n(T) of tetrahedra of T. Conversely, if p(T) is `small' then T is `almost' polytopal, since we show how to transform T into a polytopal triangulation by O((p(T))^2) local subdivisions. The minimal number of local subdivisions needed to transform T into a polytopal triangulation is at least $fracp(T)3n-n-2$. Using our previous results [math.GT/0007032], we obtain a general upper bound for p(T) exponential in n^2. We prove here by explicit constructions that there is no general subexponential upper bound for p(T) in n. Thus, we obtain triangulations that are `very far' from being polytopal. Our results yield a recognition algorithm for S^3 that is conceptually simpler, though somewhat slower, as the famous Rubinstein-Thompson algorithm.

Recommendations

• Simplifying triangulations of \(S^3\).
• The Pachner graph and the simplification of 3-sphere triangulations
• A minimal irreducible triangulation of S^3
• Many triangulated 3-spheres
• Thin position and the recognition problem for \(S^ 3\)

Cites work

• Affine structures in 3-manifolds. V: The triangulation theorem and Hauptvermutung
• An algorithm for the recognition of 3-spheres (according to Thompson)
• Complexity of triangulations of the projective space.
• CROSSING NUMBER OF LINKS FORMED BY EDGES OF A TRIANGULATION
• Knots
• Knots and shellable cell partitionings of S^ 3
• Lectures on Polytopes
• Many triangulated spheres
• Non-constructible complexes and the bridge index
• Simplifying triangulations of \(S^3\).
• The d-Step Conjecture and Its Relatives
• The size of spanning disks for polygonal curves
• The size of triangulations supporting a given link
• Unshellable triangulations of spheres
• Über eine numerische Knoteninvariante

Cited in

(6)

• Isomorphism-free lexicographic enumeration of triangulated surfaces and 3-manifolds
• Complexity of triangulations of the projective space.
• The size of triangulations supporting a given link
• Simplifying triangulations of \(S^3\).
• A minimal irreducible triangulation of S^3
• CROSSING NUMBER OF LINKS FORMED BY EDGES OF A TRIANGULATION

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