Discrete Morse theory for weighted simplicial complexes (Q2291603)

In this article the authors extend Forman's discrete Morse theory [\textit{R. Forman}, Adv. Math. 134, No. 1, 90--145 (1998; Zbl 0896.57023)] to weighted simplicial complexes [\textit{R. Dawson}, Cah. Topologie Géom. Différ. Catég. 31, No. 3, 229--243 (1990; Zbl 0735.18011); \textit{S. Ren} et al., Rocky Mt. J. Math. 48, No. 8, 2661--2687 (2018; Zbl 1411.55005)]. They obtain several results that are analogous to the classical results of Forman's theory, with proofs that are similar to the original ones. They also show that simplicial collapses do not always preserve weighted homology and give conditions under which a simplicial collapse induces isomorphisms in the weighted homology groups. In the last section of the article, the authors discuss applications of their results to the analysis of DNA and RNA sequences.