Bistellar equivalences of two families of simplical complexes (Q2875893)

In a recent paper, \textit{S. Klee} and \textit{I. Novik} [Adv. Math. 229, No. 1, 487--500 (2012; Zbl 1236.52010)] defined the simplicial complex \(\mathcal{B}(k, d)\) for all integers \(k\) and \(d\) with \(0 \leq k \leq d - 2\). The boundary complex \(\partial \mathcal{B}(k, d)\) triangulates \(\mathbb{S}^k \times \mathbb{S}^{d-k-2}\). Based on algebraic invariants of these complexes, it is natural to conjecture that \(\mathcal{B}(k,d)\) triangulates \(\mathbb{S}^k \times \mathbb{B}^{d-k-1}\).NEWLINENEWLINETo solve this problem, the authors introduce another family of simplicial complexes which they denote by \(\mathcal{ST}(m,n)\). By studying a modification of the classical staircase triangulation, they can show that \(\mathcal{ST}(m,n)\) triangulates \(\mathbb{S}^{m-1}\times \mathbb{B}^n\). This fact leads them to conjecture that the underlying topological spaces \(|\mathcal{B}(k,d)|\) and \(|\mathcal{ST}(k+1,d-k-1)|\) are homeomorphic for all integers \(k\) and \(d\) with \(0\leq k \leq d-2\).NEWLINENEWLINEIn this paper, the authors confirm the conjecture when \(k=0\) and \(k=d-2\). For the first case, one can easily show the homeomorphism by choosing an appropriate labelling of the related lattice. For the second case, the main approach is to relate the complexes through a sequence of bistellar flips. The cases for \(\mathcal{B}(1,4)\) with \(\mathcal{ST}(2,2)\) and \(\mathcal{B}(1,5)\) with \(\mathcal{ST}(2,3)\) are also studied. The corresponding proofs are based on sequences of bistellar flips, stellar exchanges, and elementary shellings. These well-studied combinatorial operations transform a combinatorial manifold while preserving its PL-homeomorphism.