Matching complexes of \(3 \times n\) grid graphs (Q2665955)

The matching complex \(M(G)\) of a graph \(G\) is a simplicial complex whose vertices are all the edges of \(G\) and simplices are all the matchings in \(G\). For two positive integers \(m\), \(n\), let \(\Gamma_{m, n} := (\{(i, j) \, : \, 1\leq i\leq m, \, 1\leq j\leq n\}, \{\{(i, j), (k,\ell)\} \, : \, |i-k|+|j-\ell|=1, \, 1\leq i,\ k\leq m, \, 1\leq j,\ \ell \leq n\})\) be the \(m\times n\) (rectangular) grid graph. So, \(\Gamma_{m,1}\) and \(\Gamma_{1, n}\) are paths. \textit{D. N. Kozlov} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 88, No. 1, 112--122 (1999; Zbl 0934.05041)] computed the matching complexes of paths and cycles. \textit{B. Braun} and \textit{W. K. Hough} [Electron. J. Comb. 24, No. 4, Research Paper P18, 20 p. (2017; Zbl 1373.05137)] obtained some homological results related to matching complexes of \(2\times n\) grid graphs. \textit{T. Matsushita} [Electron. J. Comb. 26, No. 3, Research Paper P3.1, 8 p. (2019; Zbl 1416.05214)] extended these results by showing that the matching complexes of \(2\times n\) grid graphs are homotopy equivalent to a wedge of spheres. In this article, the authors compute the homotopy type of matching complexes of \(3\times n\) grid graphs. They prove the following. For \(n > 1\), the matching complex \(M(\Gamma_{3,n})\) of \(\Gamma_{3,n}\) is homotopy equivalent to a wedge of spheres. More explicitly, if \(9k \leq n \leq 9k + 8\) for some \(k \geq 0\), then \(M(\Gamma_{3,n})\) is homotopy equivalent to \({\displaystyle \vee_{i=n-1}^{n+k-1}\left(\vee_{b_i}\mathbb{S}^{i}\right)}\) for some positive integers \(b_i\).