Empty simplices of polytopes and graded Betti numbers (Q2482213)

Simplicial \(d\)-polytopes in \(\mathbb R^d\) are considered. Simplest combinatorial invariants of polytopes are \(f\)-vectors and \(h\)-vectors, which describe the number of faces of polytopes. A characterization of \(h\)-vectors [see \textit{P. McMullen}, Isr. J. Math. 9, 559--570 (1971; Zbl 0209.53701), \textit{L. J. Billera} and \textit{C. W. Lee}, J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 31, 237--255 (1981; Zbl 0479.52006), \textit{P. McMullen}, Invent. Math. 113, No.~2, 419--444 (1993; Zbl 0803.52007), \textit{R. P. Stanley}, Adv. Math. 35, 236--238 (1980; Zbl 0427.52006)] involves some particular construction, which allows to obtain a polytope, \(P_{BL}(H)\), with a given \(h\)-vector \(H\). It is conjectured by Kalai-Kleinschmidt-Lee that for all simplicial polytopes with prescribed \(h\)-vector \(H\) the number of \(j\)-dimensional empty simplices is maximized by the Billera-Lee polytope \(P_{BL}(H)\) [see \textit{G. Kalai}, NATO ASI Ser., Ser. C, Math. Phys. Sci. 440, 205--229 (1994; Zbl 0804.52006), Invent. Math. 88, 125--151 (1987; Zbl 0624.52004)]. In the present paper the conjecture of Kalai-Kleinschmidt-Lee is established by relating the number of empty simplices of a simplicial polytope to the first graded Betty numbers of the polytope and applying a result by \textit{J. Migliore} and \textit{U. Nagel} from [Adv. Math. 180, No. 1, 1--63 (2003; Zbl 1053.13006)]. Explicit optimal bounds on the number of empty simplices of any given dimension are derived. Another review (for the reprint version in: Twentieth anniversary volume: Discrete and computational geometry. New York, NY: Springer, 387--408 (2009)) has been published in Zbl 1168.52012.