Inequalities for the h-vectors and flag h-vectors of geometric lattices (Q1764164)

If \(L\) is a geometric lattice, then the order complex \(\Delta(L)\) of \(L\) is the simplicial complex whose simplices are the chains in \(L\) (which exclude the minimal and maximal element of \(L\)). For example, if \(L\) is the face lattice of a convex polytope \(P\), then \(\Delta(L)\) is the complex of the barycentric subdivision of the boundary of \(P\). Thus it should be expected that there be relationships between the \(\mathbf{cd}\)-index of \(L\) and the \(h\)- and flag \(h\)-vectors of \(\Delta(L)\) (in the polytope case, the \(h\)-polynomial of \(\Delta(L)\) is -- roughly speaking -- the abelianization of the \(\mathbf{cd}\)-index of \(P\)). In particular, the authors show that the \(h\)-vector of \(\Delta(L)\) satisfies \(h_{i-1} \leq h_i\) and \(h_i \leq h_{r-1}\) when \(L\) is a geometric lattice of rank \(r+1\). They also prove inequalities for the corresponding flag \(h\)-vector, and give a combinatorial flag \(h\)-vector proof of \(h_{i-1} \leq h_i\) when \(i \leq \frac27(r + \frac25)\).