Matrix method for persistence modules on commutative ladders of finite type (Q1736464)

A persistence module \(M\) on a commutative ladder over the field \(K\) can be identified with a commutative diagram of \(K\)-vector spaces and \(K\)-linear maps of the form \[\begin{array}{cccccccc} W_1 & \xleftrightarrow{\phi_1} & W_2 & \xleftrightarrow{\phi_2} & \cdots & W_{n-1} & \xleftrightarrow{\phi_{n-1}} & W_n\\ \hspace{6pt}\uparrow{F_1} & & \hspace{6pt}\uparrow{F_2} & & & \hspace{6pt}\uparrow{F_{n-1}} & & \hspace{6pt}\uparrow{F_n}\\ V_1 & \xleftrightarrow{\psi_1} & V_2 & \xleftrightarrow{\psi_2} & \cdots & V_{n-1} & \xleftrightarrow{\psi_{n-1}} & V_n \end{array}\] where each horizontal arrow has a specified direction, namely either \(\leftarrow\) or \(\rightarrow\). The direction \(\tau_i\) of the arrow \(\phi_i\) is required to be the same as that of \(\psi_i\), and the sequence \(\tau=(\tau_1,\ldots,\tau_{n-1})\) is called the orientation of the ladder. In the language of zigzag persistent homology, each horizontal row in the diagram is a \(\tau\)-module [\textit{G. Carlsson} and \textit{V. de Silva}, Found. Comput. Math. 10, No. 4, 367--405 (2010; Zbl 1204.68242)]. Any such module can be written as the direct sum of interval \(\tau\)-modules of the form \({\mathbb I}[a,b]\), where \({\mathbb I}[a,b]_i=K\) if \(a\leq i\leq b\) and trivial otherwise, and all non-trivial arrows are the identity. Using this basis, the map from the bottom row of the diagram to the top row determines a matrix \(\Phi(M)\). Under the assumption that \(n\leq 4\), the authors provide a Smith normal form style algorithm for reducing \(\Phi(M)\). The persistence diagram of \(M\) can then be extracted from the resulting matrix.