Cohen-Macaulay binomial edge ideals and accessible graphs (Q2141082)

Let \(G\) be a finite simple graph and \(J_G\) its binomial edge ideal. The authors consider the property of \(J_G\) of being Cohen-Macaulay. They define the notion of accessible graph and prove that the property of \(J_G\) of being Cohen-Macaulay implies that \(G\) is accessible. The authors conjecture that the converse also holds. Several classes of graphs for which the conjecture is true are studied. For instance, they consider the property of \(J_G\) of being strongly unmixed (which is a pure combinatorial condition). They prove that strongly unmixedness implies the Cohen-Macaulay property of the binomial edge ideal. For chordal graphs and for graphs containing a Hamiltonian path, the properties of \(J_G\) of being Cohen-Macaulay and of being strongly unmixed are equivalent. Moreover, they are equivalent to the property of \(G\) of being accessible.