Connected sums of simplicial complexes and equivariant cohomology (Q2251170)

The paper under review introduces the connected sum \(K_1\sharp^Z K_2\) of two simplicial complexes \(K_1\) and \(K_2\), and then studies which relation exists among the Stanley-Reisner face rings of \(K_1, K_2\) and \(K_1\sharp^Z K_2\). The motivation for the definition of such a connected sum comes from the work in symplectic geometry of Lerman's symplectic cut applied to a toric orbifold. The authors show that the Stanley--Reisner face ring of \(K_1\sharp^Z K_2\) is isomorphic to the algebraic connected sum of the Stanley-Reisner face rings of \(K_1\) and \(K_2\) along the Stanley--Reisner face ring of \(K_1\cap K_2\). In addition, the authors also show how those algebraic calculations can be described in terms of the equivariant cohomology of moment--angle complexes and toric orbifolds.