A classification of the face numbers of Buchsbaum simplicial posets (Q2509930)

The \(h\)-numbers \(h_j(P)\) of a \((d-1)\)-dimensional simplicial poset \(P\) are defined by \[ h_j(P) = \sum_{i=0}^j \, (-1)^{j-i}\binom{d-i}{d-j}f_{i-1}(P), \] where \(f_i(P)\) is the numbers of \(i\)-simplices of \(P\). If \(\widetilde\beta_i(P) = \dim_{\mathbf{k}}\widetilde H_i(P;\mathbf{k})\) (with \(\mathbf{k}\) a field) is the \(i\)th Betti number of a Buchsbaum simplicial poset \(P\), then the \(h'\)-numbers are defined by \[ h_j'(P) = h_j(P) + \binom dj \sum_{i=0}^{j-1} \, (-1)^{j-i-1}\widetilde\beta_{i-1}(P). \] Recall that \(P\) is Buchsbaum if it is pure and the link of each atom is Cohen-Macaulay. The authors show here that, if \(\widetilde\beta_0,\ldots,\widetilde\beta_{d-1},h_0',\ldots,h_d'\) are non-negative integers, then there is a Buchsbaum simplicial poset of rank \(d\) with \(h_i'(P) = h_i'\) and \(\widetilde\beta_i(P) = \widetilde\beta_i\) if and only if \(h_0' = 1\), \(h_d' = \widetilde\beta_{d-1}\) and \(h_j' \geq \binom dj \widetilde\beta_{j-1}\) for \(j = 1,\ldots,d-1\). (Reviewer's note: the result is slightly misstated in the paper, with \(h_i\) instead of \(h_i'\) in the first equation). \textit{I. Novik} and \textit{E. Swartz} [Adv. Math. 222, No. 6, 2059--2084 (2009; Zbl 1182.52010)] have previously shown the necessity of the conditions.