Non-homogeneous combinatorial manifolds (Q1943372)

In this paper, the authors introduce the theory of \textit{non-homogeneous manifolds} (or \(NH\)-manifolds), which are polyhedra that are locally like Euclidean spaces of varying dimensions. These manifolds appear naturally in the context of work developed by \textit{U. Pachner} [Eur. J. Comb. 12, No. 2, 129--145 (1991; Zbl 0729.52003)] in the study of combinatorial moves between PL-homeomorphic manifolds. The authors prove that a number of results and basic properties from the classical manifold setting hold in the wider setting of \(NH\)-manifolds. In particular, it is shown that every \textit{shellable} \(NH\)-manifold (a concept introduced in this category by \textit{A. Björner} and \textit{M. L. Wachs} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 348, No. 4, 1299--1327 (1996; Zbl 0857.05102)]) is a so-called \(NH\)-boquet, extending a classical result in the manifold setting. The authors study the notion of regular expansion for \(NH\)-manifolds and prove a generalization of Alexander's Theorem, as well as introduce the notion of an \(NH\)-factorization, proving that any two PL-homeomorphic manifolds are related by a finite sequence of such factorizations.