On well-covered, vertex decomposable and Cohen-Macaulay graphs (Q289983)

Let \(G\) be a simple graph with vertex set \(V(G)=\{x_1,\ldots, x_n\}\) and \(R=k[x_1,\ldots,x_n]\) be a polynomial ring over a field \(k\). Let \(I(G)\) be the edge ideal of \(G\) and \(\Delta_G\) be the Stanley-Reisner complex of \(I(G)\). It is known that: \centerline{\(G\) is unmixed vertex decomposable \(\Rightarrow\) \(\Delta_G\) is pure shellable \(\Rightarrow\)} \centerline{ \(R/I(G)\) is Cohen-Macaulay \(\Rightarrow\) \(G\) is well-coverd(unmixed)} The equivalence between the Cohen-Macaulay and the unmixed vertex decomposable properties has been studied for some families of graphs: \textbf{bipartite graphs} [\textit{M. Estrada } and \textit{R. H. Villarreal}, Arch. Math. 68, No. 2, 124--128 (1997; Zbl 0869.13003] and [\textit{J. Herzog} and \textit{T. Hibi}, J. Algebr. Comb. 22, No. 3, 289--302 (2005; Zbl 1090.13017)]; \textbf{very well-covered graphs} [\textit{M. Crupi} et al., Nagoya Math. J. 201, 117--131 (2011; Zbl 1227.05218)] and [\textit{M. Mahmoudi} et al., J. Pure Appl. Algebra 215, No. 10, 2473--2480 (2011; Zbl 1227.13017) ]); \textbf{graphs with girth at least 5, block-cactus} [\textit{D. T. Hoang} et al., J. Algebra Appl. 14, No. 7, Article ID 1550112, 16 p. (2015; Zbl 1326.13010)]) and \textbf{graphs without 4-cycles and 5-cycles} [\textit{T. Biyikoǧlu} and \textit{Y. Civan}, Electron. J. Comb. 21, No. 1, Research Paper P1.1, 17 p., electronic only (2014, Zbl 1305.13007)]. In the paper under review, the authors prove that for König graphs and graphs without 3-cycles and 5-cycles, unmixed vertex decomposable and Cohen-Macaulay properties are equivalent. The authors also investigate vertex decomposable and shellable (non-pure) properties in graphs without 3-cycles and 5-cycles. Finally, they give some properties and relations between critical, extendable and shedding vertices.