Canonical homeomorphisms of posets (Q1112852)

Let P be a poset. The order complex \(\Delta\) (P) of P is the simplicial complex whose vertices are the elements of P and whose simplices are the finite nonempty chains of P. The geometric realization of P is the usual geometric realization \(| \Delta (P)|\) of the simplicial complex \(\Delta\) (P). The poset Int(P) consists of the set of closed intervals of P, partially ordered by inclusion. The author proves that the geometric realization of Int(P) is naturally homeomorphic to the geometric realization of P. The author goes on to describe the geometric realization of the open intervals of a direct product poset in terms of the open intervals of the factors. The author also describes the open intervals of Int(P) in terms of the open intervals of P. These results on open intervals are then applied to the theory of Cohen-Macaulay posets. Finally, the author describes a very interesting procedure, called cosmetic surgery, for modifying a given poset without changing its realization and uses this procedure to construct some interesting examples in the fixed point theory of posets.