Discrete Morse inequalities on infinite graphs (Q1028814)

Summary: The goal of this paper is to extend to infinite graphs the known Morse inequalities for discrete Morse functions proved by \textit{R. Forman} [``Morse theory for cell complexes'', Adv. Math. 134, No.\,, 90--145 (1998; Zbl 0896.57023)] in the finite case. In order to get this result we shall use a special kind of infinite subgraphs on which a discrete Morse function is monotonous, namely, decreasing rays. In addition, we shall use this result to characterize infinite graphs by the number of critical elements of discrete Morse functions defined on them.