Algebraic invariants of weighted oriented graphs (Q2114803)

Let \(\mathcal{D}\) denote a finite oriented simple graph endowed with a positive integer weight function on its vertex set. Identifying the vertices of \(\mathcal{D}\) with the variables of a polynomial ring, \(R=K[x_1,\dots,x_n]\), over a field, the edge ideal of \(\mathcal{D}\), denoted here by \(I(\mathcal{D})\), is defined as the monomial ideal generated by \(x_ix_j^{w_j}\), for every directed edge \((x_i,x_j)\), where \(w_j\) denotes the weight of the vertex \(x_j\). Fixing an arbitrary orientation of the edges of a simple graph and setting \(w_i=1\) for every \(i\), the edge ideal of the resulting \(\mathcal{D}\) coincides with the usual edge ideal of the graph. The authors focus on two invariants of \(R/I(\mathcal{D})\), the regularity and the projective dimension, when the underlying graph of \(\mathcal{D}\) is either a path or a cycle. More precisely, the authors study the case of paths and cycles with a \textit{natural} orientation, i.e., the orientation induced by a complete walk on the path or a simple circuit on the cycle. Formulas for the projective dimension are obtained in Theorems 3 and 4. They involve the sequence of vertices with nontrivial weights and follow from the results on labeled hypergraphs associated to edge ideals contained in [\textit{K.-N. Lin} and \textit{P. Mantero}, Commun. Algebra 44, No. 4, 1671--1694 (2016; Zbl 1375.13018)]. The formulas for the regularity (Theorems 7 and 9), involve the \textit{weight-position sum} of a weighted naturally oriented path or cycle; which the authors define.