Matching and independence complexes related to small grids (Q2411504)

Summary: The topology of the matching complex for the \(2\times n\) grid graph is mysterious. We describe a discrete Morse matching for a family of independence complexes \(\text{Ind}(\Delta_n^m)\) that include these matching complexes. Using this matching, we determine the dimensions of the chain spaces for the resulting Morse complexes and derive bounds on the location of non-trivial homology groups for certain \(\text{Ind}(\Delta_n^m)\). Further, we determine the Euler characteristic of \(\text{Ind}(\Delta_n^m)\) and prove that several homology groups of \(\text{Ind}(\Delta_n^m)\) are non-zero.