Combinatorial triangulations of homology spheres (Q2581400)

The main result of the present paper is a recognition theorem for combinatorial spheres: Let \(M\) be an \(n\)-vertex combinatorial triangulation of a \(\mathbb Z_2\)-homology \(d\)-sphere. Suppose \(M\) has an \(m\)-vertex combinatorial \(d\)-ball as an induced subcomplex, where \(n \leq m +7\). Then \(M\) is a combinatorial sphere. The authors prove it as an application of the following result: If a \(\mathbb Z_2\)-acyclic simplicial complex has \(\leq 7 \) vertices, then it is collapsible. They also prove that the bound \(7\) is best possible, by providing a triangulation of the Dunce Hat with \(8\) vertices. In consequence of the main result, the following statements are also proved: (i) Let \(M\) be an \(n\)-vertex combinatorial \(d\)-manifold. If \(| M| \) is a \(\mathbb Z_2\)-homology \(d\)-sphere and \(n \leq d +8\), then \(M\) is a combinatorial sphere. (ii) Let \(M\) be a \((d+9)\)-vertex combinatorial triangulation of a \(\mathbb Z_2\)-homology \(d\)-sphere. If \(M\) is not a combinatorial sphere, then \(M\) cannot admit any proper bistellar move. As far as the first statement is concerned, note that it has new contents only for \(3 \leq d \leq 8\) (see [\textit{U. Brehm, W. Kühnel}, Topology 26, 465--473 (1987; Zbl 0681.57009)]) and that for \(d=3\) the result is sharp (see [\textit{F. H. Lutz}, Berichte aus der Mathematik. Aachen: Shaker Verlag. Berlin: Technische Univ. Berlin Diss. (1999; Zbl 0977.57030)] and [\textit{W. Kühnel}, Lecture Notes in Mathematics. 1612. Berlin: Springer-Verlag (1995; Zbl 0834.53004)]). On the other hand, the integral version of the statement has new contents only for \(d=3,4,5\): see [\textit{U. Brehm, W. Kühnel}, loc.cit.].